The Other Daughter
by OftheNewMoon
Summary: What if the Kazekage adopted a child younger than Gaara that grew up in his home, if Gaara's demon was afraid of her, and she lived through atempt after atempt on her life, going to the Chuunin exams with her siblings? Sand & OC Centric. Prequel to Time Skip Travels.
1. Prolouge: A Dark Night

ChaNobutoshi Kanna- Evil Eyes

_**Introduction: The day Gaara killed Yashamaru. The Kazekage's office. 10:10 pm. **_

"Even at the age of four…" The rust-brown haired man murmured thickly, turning a page of the incident report. "He is fully able to utilize the Shukaku in a practical manner. Interesting. And useful. For now at least."

Baki, whom was guarding the door, nodded. "Twelve attempts on his life, and the jinjurikki is still intact. It seems-"

The door burst open, and a young woman with shortly-cropped brown hair and her Jonin vest supporting a toddler strapped to her back. She was holding something to her chest, apparently having ran all the way to the office.

"Tomoe Matsuri." Baki said in surprise. "What are you doing-"

"KAZEKAGE-SAMA!" She managed, bowing. "I-I have a report from the border at Amegakure!"

"Report."

"Yes." She took a deep breath. "Not even a half an hour ago, a strange figure in a half-destroyed black cloak stumbled upon the gate and demanded that we accept this…. Weapon from him. He claimed it was powerful, but he had no use for it."

"And where is this 'weapon'?" The Kazekage said, interested. Good weaponry and battle tactics were slim yet powerful, and in high demand in Suna nowadays.

"Well… you see my Lord…" She hesitated, then held up her bundle. "He left a… baby."

'Baby?' Was the mutual thought of both men.

"And I think Chiyo-basama should look at her." She swallowed. "This girl doesn't even look quite… human."

These things caught their attention fully, and the elder was called. Once Chiyo finished examining the child, she 'tsked.

"I'm amazed this child is alive. No two-year-old should be able to sustain all this Jutsu and other… things… that have been done to her frail body. And this Chakra… I've only known of Tailed Beasts having anything close to this amount, and hers is the kind that increases with time."

"Granny Chiyo." The Kazekage said politely. "Is she powerful?"

"Why yes- only your son could compare to her power." She sighed. "Even if she didn't unseal half of her abilities."

With those words hanging in the air, he gave a contempt look to the small, helpless-looking body.

"Baki." He finally said.

"Yes Sir?"

"This child will be taken into my home. No one will know her true appearance or potential, and you will raise her alongside my children, but more like your own daughter. This will be assigned an S-class mission if you wish to refuse."

"That won't be necessary. I accept your request."

"Good." His eyes narrowed. "Let us go home. But first, some proper coverings shall be needed for her. Also, a name."

"If she is to be raised like a weapon like Gaara." Chiyo said plainly, wrapping up the baby and handing her to Baki. "Why not Kiritsu? It means discipline, and it shall be only discipline to guide her."

"That will work."

'And I give you luck, little one.' Chiyo thought as the two men walked away. 'The headband that Matsuri Tomoe found wrapped around you makes me very troubled indeed.'

Her hand passed over a Medical-nin headband with a slashed-out musical note, and she pocketed the object before leaving. It would not re-enter the woman's focus again for 11 years.

The next morning, as the sun was barely beginning to scorch the dessert-surrounded city, Temari stretched her arms and yawned. Putting up her hair, she crept out of her room, preparing her fan to ambush Baki-Sensei as he made his morning coffee.

So it was expected that when she saw Tomoe Matsuri and Baki fussing over a small object together in the living room instead of the normal morning routine, she was curious.

"Sensei, Sempai." She said, stepping out of the staircase shyly. "What are you doing?"

The woman smiled at her and waved her over. "Come see for yourself Princess."

Eagerly, the girl maintained a blank face as she walked up to the two adults, and peeked at the small thing between them on a pillow. A little baby wrapped up in a way that would keep people from seeing what it looked like.

"Who is this?" She asked, smiling.

"This is Kiritsu, you new little 'sister'." Baki said. "Tomoe Matsuri found her last night, and I am taking her in as my own daughter."

"A sister…" Temari looked pleased, and made a motion with her arms to try to cuddle the girl without touching her. "How old is she?"

"Two."

'Younger than Gaara…' Was her tentative thought. "May I hold her?"

Baki was surprised by the request, but Matsuri smiled. "Here, since she's so fragile, you have to support her head like this…"

After explaining a few more things about babies to Baki and Temari, she left to go home to her own daughter. It was then that Kankuro woke up, and the Jonin explained the situation to the younger boy, whom didn't seem all that interested in the girl… until she grabbed his finger in an inhumanely strong grip. That got his attention, but he didn't do much besides smile at her when the others weren't looking. The whole day, the three got used to the idea of having a toddler around the house, and began to change their routine to fit the new addition.

Gaara didn't leave his room the whole day, to the relief of his siblings and caretaker. In fact, he didn't even come close to the door of his room for the next few days. When he did however, he was in for a big surprise. Because, sitting in his chair at the table, was a small figure covered in a blanket.

Now, any normal time this would happen, he would just use his 'Mother' to crush the offender with sand. This time was different; Shukaku was warning him to hold back, to be wary of this seemingly helpless figure. So with light steps, the boy climbed into the chair furthest from the girl and began to eat his breakfast.

"Gaara, this is Kiritsu, our new sister," Temari said hesitantly to the boy, whom nodded in her direction and continued to eat. "She's Baki-Sensei's daughter, isn't that nice?"

Another nod. Baki sighed with relief as the meal went on without incident.

'The later Gaara snaps around this one the better, there's no telling what could happen if what Granny Chiyo said is true.' He decided.

To everyone's surprise, though there were incidents involving Gaara's demon over time, none of them affected Kiritsu for several months. Within that 'peaceful' time, Kiritsu'd become apart of the 'family', and even was talking in proper grammar to them. Impressive for a toddler, but with one named 'discipline', she was proven to be everything predicted. And then some.

Even though her stature was small and slight, when she hit Kankuro back, it held more power than one of the boys full-strength hits. Her chakra control was competitive with his as well, and she managed to perform all of his and Temari's Jutsu's, but humbly calling the two either 'Sempai' or 'Brother/Sister'.

Unfortunately, Gaara's Demon became impatient and decided to strike as soon as it could, and Baki decided that same day to warn the girl. On Gaara's 6th birthday, and the assumed 4th birthday of Kiritsu, Baki brought the girl into his room for a private chat.

Body covered completely in bandages, wearing a baggy tank top and mid-length skirt over the bandages and a knit hat like Kankuro, the little girl swung her legs over the edge of her backwards-facing chair.

"Daddy." She said clearly, "We are missing Gaara's party, isn't that rude?"

"Yes." He said plainly, always astounded at how she regarded Gaara, and believing it would change. "But I have something more important to tell you."

"And what would that be?" She was already loosing interest.

"The reason Gaara attacks people."

"Most people don't like him." She said, still sounding bored. "But I don't mind him, and he doesn't hurt me."

"You're… different from most people." Baki got comfortable in his chair. "But Gaara… Is even more different. He is the container of the One-Tailed Demon Raccoon, but is not in good control of it."

"So…" Her voice became thoughtful, and she put a hand to her chin. "When he looses control, the monster hurts people?"

"No. Gaara hurts-"

"Sorry Daddy, you're wrong." She got out of her chair and crawled into his lap. "If he can't control his Demon, then the Demon controls him, he has no choice after that."

Surprise and disbelief crossed Baki's features, and when the girl kissed his cheek and walked out of the room and back to the party, he was still frozen.

'That can't be it.' He thought, shaking his head. 'She doesn't understand these things yet.'

A high-pitched scream reached his ears, and he raced to the source of the sound. Kiritsu.

On one side of the room, Gaara was staring down his siblings, heaving rough breaths. On the other side, Kankuro and Temari had their weapons out, Kiritsu holding her arm, blood coating the bandages below them.

"WHY did YOU try to TOUCH HIM Dooru?" Kankuro demanded, calling her a 'doll' in his irritation.

She sniffled and muttered something while Baki went to her and tended to her wounds.

"What did you say?" He said quietly.

"He-"

"_I wanted to see what she looks like_." Gaara said angrily. "_And she needed help getting off the bandages, so Shukaku decided to help_-"

"You little brat! YOU hurt Kiritsu, not your damned DEMON!" Kankuro said angrily.

"N-no, he's telling the truth-"

"_Stop yelling or I'll KILL you ALL_!" Gaara groaned and held his head in his hands. "_I MEAN it. STOP!_"

"We'll stop Gaara." Temari said quietly, pulling Kankuro's arm. "It's time for bed Kankuro."

"Yeah, I was getting a little tired anyway…" He lifted up his puppets and carried them back to his room, and Temari kissed Kiritsu on the forehead before talking her fan away.

Expression dark, Gaara just walked out. With a sigh, Baki taped up the rest of the cut, eyes going to the girl's face every few seconds.

"I don't hate him." She said calmly, sighing. "I was the silly one. It wasn't his fault-"

"Stop saying that." Baki said, irritated. "When you're older you'll understand better, but Gaara is the one to blame for the problems he causes, no one else. Now, goodnight Kiritsu."

"Goodnight Daddy." She crept past Kankuro's room, and saw he was hitting his target dummy as hard as he could.

When she'd stood there a few minutes, he noticed her. "Oh. Hi. Sorry I yelled at you."

She walked right in, stepping over the puppet limbs and other odds and ends that littered the floor, arms relaxed. If you could have seen her expression, you might have seen a smile on her face.

"It's okay Kankuro-niisan." She said, sitting down Indian style beside him. "I deserved it for being selfish."

He looked at her in surprise, but couldn't find the words.

"And don't get mad, but…" She played with her hair. "I don't blame him for that."

"What?"

"I should have been more careful. It was silly to think that would have gone any other way that that."

"Doll." He said, sitting down next to her. "He's killed people because of the very thing you did today, you could have died because of him."

"Still, I knew that, and did it anyway." She put a hand to her chest. "My fault. You don't have to agree Brother, but that's what I think."

"I don't agree, but you have a right to what you think." He ruffled her hair. "Friends again?"

"Yep!" She smiled under the bandages, but he could somehow see it and smiled in response.

For the next four years, no more accidents happened. That is, until their first C-ranked mission as Genin.

Kiritsu was on Kankuro's shoulders, playing absentmindedly with the 'ears' of his hat, listening to the forest around them.

"Baki-Sensei, remind me why we're going to Amegakure when they're in the middle of a civil war?" Temari said, playing with her large weapon-fan.

"Yeah, remind us Daddy." Kiritsu said, causing Kankuro to chuckle.

Giving the bandaged girl a dirty look, Baki cleared his throat. "It was a mission that your father assigned to you personally, there shouldn't be any other explanation needed."

With a roll of his eyes, Kankuro smirked. "Yeah, we're all obedient little brats that do their fathers bidding without question. Why didn't I see that before?"

"Sarcasm isn't what I'm asking for Kankuro." He said, irritated.

"Who knows." Kiritsu muttered. "It _might_ save his life one day…"

"_Life doesn't matter, why should he need to save his own?_" Gaara muttered, a maniacal edge getting into his tone.

Before the others could worry or react, Kiritsu snapped to attention and used her legs to flip Kankuro into a summersault and to the ground, where he landed with a groan, and she landed on her feet, holding a kunai in her left hand.

Trying to get to his feet, Kankuro glared at the girl, and she kicked him back to the ground. "Dooru-"

Her bandages loosening from swift movements, she made a series of hand signs, chakra strings slicing through paper bombs that shot in the groups' direction.

"At least ten…" She said, kicking Kankuro's puppet into the teens arms. "And… They're in a formation around the road…"

The group readied their weapons, Gaara just popping the cork out of his gourd of sand, his breath going uneven and wheezing sounds exploding from his throat.

'Oh great, the _DEMON_ is getting riled up.' Was the thought of three of the group.

With a sigh, she adjusted her stance and prepared another one of her Jutsu, knowing they needed to delay a close-combat encounter as long as possible.

'What to do… _WHAT_ to _DO_!' She thought frantically. Then, the answer, though risky, came to her. "GAARA! Come and get _me_!"

She shot a kunai at him, and the sand began to chase and swarm her. Using her speed and small size to her advantage, she twisted to 'seek-out' one of their enemies. With an unseen smile, she twisted around one unfortunate one, and was rewarded by the sound of sand crushing his body. The sounds of combat nearby didn't break her concentration, but pleased her.

'Only a few to go.' She assumed, and continued her deathly dance to crush as many of their opponents as possible.

Once finished, she threw another kunai at Gaara. "Stop it."

The sand didn't stop tailing her.

"_Stop_. For me?" She said, getting closer to Kankuro, Temari, and Baki. "_Now_."

For the second time in her life, the demon-controlled sand contorted around her arms, cutting into her flesh before quickly drawing back like a burned hand, and the pain filled her hazy mind.

"Ow…" She unwrapped and re-wrapped the torn bandages around her arms, ignoring the sting and blood, shaking off the concerned touches she felt on her shoulders. "Let's keep going. I'm _fine_."

No one argued with her for once, all too shocked from the way she handled being attacked by Gaara to try to disagree. A few miles later, once again on Kankuro's shoulders, she sighed in irritation.

"Mind briefing us on the mission and why we were attacked _now_ Daddy?" She said, rolling her shoulders.


	2. Chapter One: Sand VS Leaf

Song: I think Nagareboshi (the Shikamaru version XD) is a good song for this one.

**Chapter One: Sand VS Leaf **

Temari and Kankuro, two years older than they'd been last, walked casually through Konoha. Baki had allowed them to have some time to themselves and explore the village while he took care of the paperwork and get them a hotel room for their stay, as long as they kept an eye on Kiritsu. However, her and Gaara had been out of sight for awhile now, but the pair didn't worry. It was a few days to the Chuunin Exams- they could let them on a looser chain than usual.

"Man, if we had this kind of decoration back home," Kankuro gestured to the tall buildings and colorful banners in the streets. "I'd leave my room more often."

"Please, you'd never leave your room anyway." Temari snorted.

"True."

They stopped in an alleyway behind some shops and tried to relax, the elder considering asking someone for directions to a good place to eat, when some kids ran around the corner, the first ramming right into Kankuro. The boy dropped to the ground, almost choked by the ridiculously long scarf wrapped around his neck.

Scowling, Kankuro picked him up by his scarf, then smirked. "So this is what Konoha has to offer for a Ninja? Pathetic. I'll take you out right here."

"Stop right there!" An annoying-looking blond with whisker marks on his cheeks held out a kunai, a wimpy-looking girl with bubblegum-pink hair behind him, trying to comfort 'Scarf-Boy's' friends.

'Seriously?' Kankuro and Temari thought in unison.

"Can I kill them? I hate brats." He asked his sister, playing with the strap that held his favorite puppet to his back.

"_You're going to use the Crow for this_?" She asked, incredulous. 'That much effort ?'

"Yeah." He smirked.

She sighed, irritated. "Fine. I just have no part in this, okay?"

While the brats gasped in astonishment, he smirked. "No problem-"

The sound of someone clearing their throat caused him to pause, and a rock hitting his hand made him let go of the puppet for a second. '_Shit_ that hurt…'

"That was _stupid_ of you Niisan." Kiritsu muttered; dressed in a baggy pair of pants, baggy long-sleeved midriff-cut shirt, and boots over her usual bandages, headband and forehead protector in her hair (slid so that the Suna symbol was close to her covered ears); landing beside him.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size." A crow-haired boy, in the tree next to them tossing another rock up and down in his palm, smirked.

Looking like he was going to retort, Kankuro raised a hand in a threatening manner.

"He's on his way you know." Kiritsu said, ignoring the growing rage on Kankuro's face that vanished. "I passed him."

"Shit." He said under his breath, and the girl's shoulders shook a little in laughter.

"Any-"

"_Kankuro_."

Everyone looked into the tree, and behind the Crow-Kid, was Gaara. Upside-down, that is.

"_You're a disgrace to our village._" Gaara continued, face blank as always.

"S-sorry Gaara." Kankuro's hand went behind his head. "These kids here-"

"_No excuses._" Kankuro shivered, Temari worried as Gaara turned to sand and went to the ground to re-form. "_Let's go._"

"Sure." Kiritsu climbed onto Kankuro's back and found her place on his shoulder blades. "Daddy found us a hotel room, we should go see it."

Irritated at being ignored, Crow-Boy jumped out of the tree and onto the ground, and watched their retreating figures.

"Hey, you with the gourd." He said, pointing. "What's your name?"

"_Gaara, of the Dessert_." He said, turning slightly in his direction. "_I'm pretty curious about you too_." Kiritsu snorted. "_What's your name_?"

"Sasuke Uchiha." He smirked.

"_Uchiha huh? Hope we meet again_."

"Hey, do you want to know who _I_ am?" The annoying blonde guy half-yelled.

Turning away, Gaara began to leave the road. "_I'm not interested in you_."

Lazily waving at the annoyed kid, Kiritsu called, "Trust me, you _don't_ want him to be interested in you!"

The Sand Siblings continued their walk as the brats began to argue with each other, and Kankuro tried to keep their annoying voices out of his head.

'I can't do anything, either Dooru'll pull on my hair or Gaara'll rip my head off.' He thought, following his siblings.

*** Meanwhile, with the BRATS***

"I wonder why those Sand-nin were here?" Sakura said, following Naruto and Sasuke away to their meeting with Kakashi Sensei.

"Well Sakura." Kakashi, with his usual Icha Icha novel over his masked nose, appeared in a tree on the road beside them. "That's what I was going to figure out myself. Hokage-sama has ordered a meeting for all the Jonin and Chuunin-Sensei's to attend, so you're going to just have free time today instead of training."

"Awesome!" Naruto punched the air. "Sakura, do you want to-"

"No Naruto." She said, irritated. Then, she walked up next to Sasuke and blushed. "So… do you want to train together? Just you and me?"

"Hn." He looked away from her and stuffed his hands in his pockets, mind still back with the Suna-nin.

Sakura visibly wilted.

"Hey, I'll train with-"

"_NO_ Naruto." She said, angrily stomping off.

Konohamaru and his friends ran up, and seeing the angry girl, whispered to Naruto, "Hey boss, are you and your girlfriend fighting again?"

***That Night; Team Sand***

"God I hate brats." Kankuro said later to Temari, washing off his face paint, glad Gaara had his own room to stay in at night. "If only you hadn't rushed to find us, then I could have made quick work of them."

"It wouldn't have been worth it." Kiritsu muttered, face in the mattress.

"Sure."

"The one you had wasn't even of age or had a headband yet, _who knows _who his parents were?" She continued, talking into her pillow. "We just need to train and focus on the mission at hand."

"Are you sure? I mean…" He played with the bandages around his puppet. "I came to demolish everyone _on top of _becoming a Chuunin."

"Yeah yeah, just don't forget that there's another reason we're here." She 'frowned' by shifting her shoulders a particular way. "At least I have some self control, or you'd be matching me, screw making you look bad in front of helpless kids."

He snorted, knowing very well she was serious. "You love me too much to pull that crap."

"Nope. 'Just knew that Gaara wouldn't react well to me showing off."

"I wonder why? Maybe it has something to do with the fact he tries to _kill you_ whenever you get in a fight?"

"Oh, that didn't occur to me _at all_." She rolled over, sliding off her forehead protector and headband, spreading out her hair over the bed. "I feel _so_ intelligent."

"Sorry Doll, it's true."

"She _knew_ that, you idiot." Temari rubbed her fan with polish. "Do either of you want to spar at one of the training grounds?"

"I'd love to Sempai." She hopped off the bed, tying up her hair again. "Now, or later?"

"Now works."

*** During Iruka's 'test'***

Holding a bowl of ramen in her hand, Kiritsu left Ichiraku's Ramen stand and walked down the road, knowing that the likelihood of eating the delicious treat hot was less than none. Hesitantly, she slipped into a alley, hoping to at least taste the stuff before she returned to the hotel room, to run into a moving person. The person quietly swore and dropped something on her head on accident, and she dropped her ramen.

"My apologies." Kakashi said, kneeling down to her level. "I-"

He paused when he saw the headband and size of the girl. 'So this must be the one Sasuke is worried about… Interesting.'

"You owe me a ramen." She said, expectantly crossing her arms, on her butt on the ground. "Since you're the '_gentlemen_' type, you won't refuse either."

If Kakashi had been surprised before and didn't show it, his body language displayed it clearly now. He made a 'happy eye crease' expression, and put out a hand to the girl, offering to help her up.

"How about we make a deal," He said, and she seemed to eye his hand with curiosity. "I treat you to a ramen, and you answer some questions I have for you. My students seem to have gotten quite the impression, and now _I'm _even curious."

She shrugged, accepting his hand, and getting pulled to her feet. "Sounds reasonable, since it won't kill me."

Picking up his book, Kakashi chuckled. "Oh, the stories I could tell-"

"I'm immune to almost _all_ types of genjutsu." Walking out of the alley and back to the Ramen Stand, she turned to face the surprised man. "Let's go. You owe me a ramen, _right_?"

"Well… it would seem so." He chuckled.

They walked side by side to the ramen shop, and Kakashi was saddened by the similarity between this girl and another girl he had known… who'd sadly joined most of the people he called 'friends' some time ago.

"So _Jonin_." She said, 'looking' at him. "What's your students' name? If they were so interested in me, then I might've heard about them."

He put a hand to the ties of his headband and chuckled nervously. "Well… Sasuke Uchiha might be the only name you recognize."

Putting her hands on the back of her own head, she shrugged. "Yeah. I'm just going to apologize for what's going to happen _now_."

"What's going to happen?"

Taking a deep breath, she said, "Having Gaara 'interested' in someone usually gets them dead within a week- I'm the only one that's lived through every of his attempts to kill me."

He raised an eyebrow at her, pulling out some money to buy the ramen once the got inside. "How many times has he tried to kill you?"

A shrug. "I stopped counting after 150... But then again, I put myself in harms way in the first place so…"

"You tried to get yourself murdered." He muttered, and handed the money over to Ichiraku. "That doesn't seem to make a lot of sense."

"It's the only way to get through to him sometimes…" She noticed his cleverly disguised confusion. "Surviving, I mean. He looses control of… himself… and then goes on a murderous rampage." Sliding her bandages so she could part her lips to eat, she slurped a few noodles.

"So you're saying that Sasuke has no chance at living if he goes against Gaara."

"Sadly, yes. There's a lot of potential in him though. And in the other boy too, believe it or not. The girl might just reach her potential if she learns to depend solely on herself…" She ate some more. "The blonde, what's his name?"

"Naruto Uzumaki."

"Ah, an interesting name." Finished with her food, she fixed her bandages. "Now, do you have any other questions?"

"Hmm… there is one my students have been discretely bugging me about… Why are you here?" He inclined his head. "Normally there are only three Genin on a Team… yet you're the fourth member."

"That's a good question." She observed, actually paying attention to the conversation more that she normally would have. "Oh, I probably won't be competing… but to answer you; I'm their 'sibling', so we always stay together."

"Well, that's interesting." He chuckled. "I was under the impression that the Kazekage wasn't the type to adopt."

This turn of the conversation was getting dangerous. Hesitantly, she shrugged. "Who knows why he took me in. Thank you for the conversation…. Mr. Jonin."

He raised up a hand, a happy eye crease visible. "Hey now, can I at least get your name for my students?"

"Kiritsu." She said, and jumped down from the high barstool. "And, to tell my Daddy why I took so long, what's your name Mr. Jonin?"

"Kakashi Hatake." He put his nose in the little orange book he'd been reading when they'd collided. "I'm sure that alone will get you out of trouble."

"I'm _sure_ it will." She muttered, leaving him and heading back to the hotel.

***AN***

"Hey boss, are you and your girlfriend fighting again?" ~ I 3 Konohamaru for these moments.


	3. Chapter Two: Part One and Two of

_Song: Sasuke's unreleased Shippuden Theme (youtube it)_

_**Chapter Two: Part One and Two of the Chuunin Exams **_

About an hour before they were required to be in the Exam room, Kankuro, Temari, and Gaara were heading to the Ninja Academy, Kiritsu on Kankuro's shoulders.

"Can you make me look like one of your puppets so I can get in Niichan?" Kiritsu asked, pulling on the 'ears' of Kankuro's hat.

"N-" He could feel her, invisible, disapproving glare on the back of his head. "Maybe I will, maybe I won't."

As he spoke, the Academy appeared ahead of them.

'Since they all trained as a group,' Temari smirked to herself. 'It's a _wonder_ any of them could be skilled.'

"You're getting a lucky break." Kankuro said, sighing and dropping the tiny girl to the ground off his shoulders. "Just transform quick, before anyone sees."

She hugged him around the middle and quickly made the hand sign, laughing at the annoyed look on his face. Now, she resembled a miniature form of the Crow, and Kankuro sighed before strapping her to his back.

"You'd better not be trouble Dooru." He muttered, and Temari smirked at his scowl, Kiritsu giggling.

Blinking, Gaara walked past them and up the staircase. " _We're wasting time. I'll kill you if we're late._"

His siblings flinched and followed him, ignoring everybody else as they entered the third-floor classroom.

"What a _crowd_," Kankuro muttered sarcastically. Muffled giggles came from Kiritsu. "And we're _early_. I'm ready for the exam _now_."

Temari nodded in agreement, playing with the latch holding her fan shut. The group of Genin were getting restless as more joined the waiting number… and then the 'brats' they'd encountered when they'd first arrived busted in. A sharp 'annoying' yell came from Naruto while several other Konoha-nin grouped with them and began to talk, some older kid with glasses giving them a useless pep-talk until some Sound-nin went up to strait-up fight him, getting his glasses shattered. Before the scuffle could even become interesting, a scarred and battle-worn Jonin appeared in a cloud of smoke.

"Now _that's_ what I'm talking about," Kankuro said, revealing his cat-like grin.

The first part of the Exam went off with out a hitch, and Kiritsu was waiting for the moment to come out of hiding and demand to know if she was allowed to continue with her 'siblings' and Gaara.

"So." The fierce looking woman, named Anko, said, grinning in a maniacal way. "Meet me tomorrow at training area Number _ by ten. Your Sensei's will tell you more when you get back to your apartments.

There was a puff of smoke, and she re-appeared next to Kankuro and the still-disguised Kiritsu. She made a hand motion for the Siblings to stay behind. Once the room was nearly clear, she tapped on Kiritsu's head.

"Good disguise." Anko remarked, and Kiritsu transformed back into her normal self. "The only reason I caught onto it was because of a deliberate change in chakra levels. Impressive."

"Thank you." Kiritsu inclined her head.

"Oh, and another thing." Anko waved her hand in some strange way. "It was approved that your Team have a fourth member for the rest of the Exams- so you aren't in trouble for sneaking in."

While Gaara indifferently stared at the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, Temari thanked the woman and Kankuro took the girl on his back.

"I guess Dad pulled a few strings. Nice." He remarked, and she playfully pulled on his hat. "Now you get to play with the big kids."

"Oh please." She murmured into his hat. "I _always_ play with the big kids… then make them cry."

"_And_ complain about not being challenged enough before laying around."

"Mph…" She began to get comfortable and started to daydream.

"This better not happen during the Exams." Temari muttered. "I've 'lost' her during training once or twice- it _really_ brings us down as a group."

"It'll be _fine_- she knows when to be motivated."

"It's still a risk; if we loose and are sent home early-"

"_Shut up about the stupid mission, or I'll kill you and go home."_ Gaara said, rolling his eyes and glaring.

"O-Of course Gaara." Temari held up her hands in apology. "I promise not to mention it again."

Kiritsu looked up and rolled her eyes, knowing Gaara noticed it.

*** In the Forrest of Death ***

"Come on Gaara, let Big Brother have some fun." Kiritsu said, half begging. 'The Rain ninja at least will live to see tomorrow if Niisan fights them.'

Gaara just kept staring at the three Amegakure ninja that they had confronted. _"No. They looked at me funny, so they're gonna die."_

While the other two winced in fear, their opponents taunting the boy further, Kiritsu frowned.

"Any of us could take all three of them out if need be." She said softly. "I know you have needs, but-"

"_Shut up."_ He said, then focused on his opponents. _"I'm killing them. __**Now**__."_

"Then make sure you're not killing them for the wrong reasons."

While the Siblings gave her surprised looks, Gaara engaged in combat with the Rain ninja.

Senbons rained on him twice, and the needles were all imbedded in his sand shield or in the ground.

"_Now I'm annoyed."_ He raised his hand at the larges one. _**"Sand coffin."**_

His sand snaked across the ground and around the unfortunate ninja's body, lifting him into the air.

Holding up the umbrella the senbons had rained from, Gaara ignored the panicked screams of the Rain-nin.

"_**Sand burial!"**_ He said, closing his fist and crushing the ninja, his blood raining down. _"I crushed him quickly, he didn't feel a thing. Now… your turn."_

As the two remaining ninjas were killed in the same manner, Kiritsu sensed another team was watching them- scared to death at what they'd seen.

'Glad that's over.' Kankuro thought, picking up the scroll. "Thank goodness this is the one we needed. Let's go-"

"_**No…"**_ Gaara had his hands on his knees, eyes wide. _"It's… still not enough…"_

His fist went in the direction of the retreating, terrified team.

"Gaara, we have what we need, let's go."

Kankuro's fist closed around the front of Gaara's shirt. "I'm your older brother, do as I say."

"_You're not the boss of me."_ Gaara's eyes went to Kankuro's. _"Let me go- or I'll kill you too."_

'What to do? Save Kankuro, or get the others away?" Kiritsu's head turned from the exchange to the bushes.

Temari, shaking with fear, made the decision for her. "Gaara, please stop this. Do it as a favor for your big sister!"

A few heartbeats later, Gaara dropped his arm, and Kankuro let him go. Pausing a second, Kiritsu grabbed one of her siblings arms through her own, holding them a few feet back from Gaara as the continued to the tower.

"That could've been handled better." She muttered to them in a disappointed tone. "You guys could have tried harder…"

" 'Try harder'?" Kankuro scoffed, then could feel her look. "Why?"

"This." She motioned to the blood-splattered clearing. "Will get _worse_ if we don't do anything about it."

A little guilty, he muttered. "I don't want to know what 'worse' is."

Temari nodded, still relieved no one got hurt.

"Trust me, you don't'." The girl walked by herself, jumping and climbing over objects instead of riding on Kankuro's back.

Instead of going inside the gate at first, Kiritsu stopped and took a deap breath, Kankuro and Temari waiting for her.

"I'm going to send a 'clone' out to explore more while my inactive body stays with you." Kiritsu said, making the hand sign. "I'll be active for the next four days if the 'clone' doesn't die."

"Sure." Temari, who was closest, caught her body when it went limp, another copy of Kiritsu standing beside her. "Be careful."

"Oh, I will." She hugged the two and smiled a little at Gaara's retreating form. "Keep an eye on him for me, okay?"

"I don't think it would be smart if we didn't." Kankuro said under hid breath. "See ya."

She waved once before walking out into the woods, dark worries in her mind. 'Sound-nin."

Their allies had caused a sense of déjà vu in her, and she wanted to know why.

*** The Morning of the fourth day***

With narrowed eyes, Kiritsu 'watched' Kabuto's teammates leave him to himself in the forest and join up with the Sound-nin. She knew he was a good spy, so why would he so openly meet with his subquardnets?

A breeze rustled through her hair, and she could tell they were _aware _of her presence.

"Oh little Sand brat," Dosu called out, body slightly rising from his crouched position to look in her direction. "Join us."

She 'teleported', using a time-space Jutsu, to his side.

"Dosu, Zaku, Kin." She nodded to each, having been told their names when briefed for the mission. "_Kabuto."_

He smiled kindle and innocently as he could before pulling on his headband tails, a little uneasy. "Why do you always say my name like that?"

"Because I don't like you."

Dosu chuckled, and the other two smirked.

"YOu may be Orochimaru's Number One, but that shouldn't grant you the right to such arrogance." SHe signeed, knowing she was getting his blood boiling. "_and_…"

"Why are you here?" Kabuto asked politely, annoyance in his tone.

With a shrug, she pulled a kunai over her right arm, sliding it over her bandages. "I want to make a deal with you."

He raised a curious eyebrow. "I'm listening."

"I want to make a blood-swapping oath with you." She said thoughtfully, teasing the bandage with the blade. Curious eyes watched it, wanting to see _why_ this girl covered every inch of her skin.

"What is the oath?"

He smile was unseen. "If there's a chance for you to fight me, you'll stick around. I promise I'll make it worth your while."

"And what can I offer?"

The blade ready, she murmured. "Answers. I was found by the Sand, given to them, by what is now known as a Sound-nin."

His interest almost peaked, Dosu and the others watching closely, she continued, "And I'll get your powers from this oath. It's my ability."

"Deal." He said, and they both slashed their arms, tying them together with her slashed bandages.

**Quote:**

"I guess Dad pulled a few strings. Nice." Kankuro remarked, and she playfully pulled on his hat. "Now you get to play with the big kids."

~Oh, you know Kanky loves his little 'sister'.


	4. Chapter Three: Preliminary War

To my reviewers:

_1) Yes she wants to fight Kabuto. He's overly cunning under the innocent mask and she wants to see what he's like underneath power-wise... and the oath has another significant meaning that is to be revealed later in the plotline. _

_2) She's been raised by people that aren't her family her whole life, so of course she wants answers. _

_3) The reason the Sound gave her to the Sand is also part of the plotline later. In fact, its one of the secrets of her past that she discovers because of a special circumstance. _

_Like any story, I want withheld information to keep readers coming, and these things are going to be revealed later. _

_I introduce my Oc's like you would a normal person; you learn a little about them at a time. _

_About the bad grammar; that may be true. I wrote those parts before I'd fully decided where this story would lead and may have left some stuff behind, and apologize for that. _

_I'm going to show her in action in this chapter, including some more personality development…_

I suggest for all readers to got to my Deviantart account, ofthenewmoon . deviantart . com (without spaces), for character sheets and other info.

_Song: Itachi's theme_

**Chapter Three: Preliminary War **

_**(***during Sasuke's fight***)**_

"You're an idiot." Kankuro muttered to Kiritsu once he's heard her little 'deal' with Kabuto, eyes fixed on the fight.

She seemed to roll her eyes and shrugged. "He'll die if he breaks his promise-just like any foolish kid that crossed me about Gaara."

_That_ brought a wince out of Kankuro. "How come you signed our ally up for certain death?"

"Not my goal." Rubbing the spot (above her heart) on her chest that pained her on occasion, her focus seemed to be on the Sound.

"Do you think I can read your mind?" He said sarcastically.

Lightly punching his shoulder (he still winced), she deadpanned, "I think Kabuto, Orochimaru, and the Sound know where I came from."

Raising his eyebrows in surprise, he almost missed Sasuke finish off his opponent, not prepared for her answer.

"Oh." He said lamely, hand running over the strap that held the Crow up.

Done with speaking, she turned to the screen, waiting for the next match-up. The two names stopped quicker than before: Yakushi Kabuto vs. Sabaku Kiritsu.

With ease, she swung herself down to ground level, her head facing the leisurely approaching Kabuto.

'I doubt he'll use his full strength against me so he doesn't blow his cover…' she smiled wildly enough for it to be visible outside the bandages. 'Good. That means I can finish this with less then the amount of chakra allow myself to use at a time.'

Using her right hand to balance herself, her left hand held a kunai at the ready. He simply smirked and held his own kunai up, scarred skin from the oath clearly visible.

"Now, if you two are ready." Hayate coughed into his fist. "Begin."

With measured steps, they circled each other, waiting for one of them to make the first move. For a few moments… No one breathed from the intensity waves pressing down on them.

Impatient, Kiritsu charged, and the two engaged in _fast _close combat. Kabuto, not being able to use some of his abilities, was helpless against the speed-influenced Taijutsu. Landing one chakra-filled punch in his gut, she stepped back, seeming to watch as he coughed up blood, unable to continue.

"The winner," Hayate said, raising an arm. "Is Kiritsu Sabaku."

*****_ Skip to Sakura and Ino s fight _*****

"The annoying pink-haired brat and the annoying blonde girl." Kankuro snorted. "Great."

"_I_ think it'll be interesting." Kiritsu, once again on his shoulders, pulled on his hat, ignoring the complaining noise he made.

"Did you see them do anything impressive when you went exploring or what?"

"Well…" She made a movement with her shoulders, unsure if she should tell him that Sasuke now had a mark _just like hers_ or not. "They're both really brave and know how to stick up for themselves when it comes down to it."

"Hn. That doesn't really matter in one-on-on combat."

Gaara had stayed silent the whole time, only glancing at the fighters once in awhile, and now wasn't any different.

"Who knows?" Kiritsu got comfortable and cuddled up around his head and shoulder. "I might as well get a nap in…"

Within a few seconds, she was snoring against his cheek.

"She can fall asleep _anywhere_." Temari said, a little irritated, but there was a maternal softness in her tone and eyes.

"But she has the ability to get fights over with quickly using as little energy as possible, so she has _time_ to sleep."

"True." The fight went on, both girls getting pretty hysterical at times. "This better end quick, I'm getting tired of watching-"

Both girls knocked each other out, and neither of them were permitted to continue to the third round.

"Kiba Inuzuka, and Naruto Uzumaki." Hayate said, and the 'annoying' blonde boy and a fierce-looking guy and his puppy got onto the floor. "You many begin when you're ready."

In two seconds, Kiba had taken out Naruto.

"What happened?" Kankuro said, surprised. Kiritsu started awake. "I blinked and missed it."

"I don't think its over yet." Kiritsu muttered, seeming focused on the fight, a smile beginning to grow. "Just wait…"

Taking deep breaths, Naruto got back to his feet. "No way… no way I'm going to loose. Because…. I'm going to be Hokage someday. Believe it!"

***** **_**As Hinata was carried to the ER**_** *****

Watching the girl, knowing that she'd risked her life to prove herself to Naruto, Kiritsu felt like she should _do_ something. But the medic-nin would _never_ her her help if they knew how risky her 'help' could be.

"Hey." Temari gently touched her shoulder. "Don't get like that…"

Shoving her away, even though no one could see it, she closed her eyes over tears and swallowed. "I think… he's just like _him_."

Her eyes widened, and she dropped down to her height, lowering her voice. "That kid _Naruto_ is a Jinchuuriki? No way."

"Its just a theory." She shrugged. "The two seem to have a lot in common, I've compared _him_ on a good day with how his sensei said was the way he was before-"

"Where are you _going_? Temari noticed Kankuro was walking _away_ from them to the side where the Konoha-nin were.

"Relax, I'm just going to talk to him." He pointed to Naruto, who was a little ways away from his fellow Genin. "Get some information."

"Take me with you." Kiritsu said, and he shrugged, helping her onto his back.

Once they were on the other side, Gaara and some weird hyper dude in a green jumpsuit were called out top fight. As the two began to go at it, Kankuro made a noise in the back of his throat.

"What do _you_ want?" Naruto asked, eyes on the fight.

He put his hands in his pockets and decided to play friendly, smirking. "I just wanted to tell you they that Rock Lee guy is going to loose."

"Hmph." Naruto crossed his arms. "Bushy Brow is stronger than you think."

"Sure." His smirk was less friendly, knowing there was still no chance. "You know, I like you."

"Don't take this the wrong way, but…" He looked away. "I _don't_ like you."

While Kankuro glared, Kiritsu laughed.

"Of course _you_ think this is funny." He muttered.

At that moment, Lee dropped the weights wrapped around his ankles to the ground, the result a loud _boom _! Astonished, the viewers watched as he moved faster than humanely possible, until his juice ran out.

The sand crept up to Lee, about to crush him when Kiritsu screamed, "Shukaku, DON'T!"

***** **_**That Night, In the Hotel Room **_*******

Kiritsu hadn't spoken to Temari or Kankuro since Lee's brush with death. She'd 'glared' at them then, blaming them for not saying something sooner, the space where her eyes were hidden wet with tears. But now, she was sitting on the opposite side of the roof as Gaara… simply _thinking_.

"_Why did they let him live Mother? I'm sorry I didn't kill him Mother. I know you're the only one that cares about me Mother… Yes Mother, I'll kill someone for you…"_ Gaara's mutters reached her from where he sat.

Shifting her bandages and pulling her headband around her waist, making it so her eyes were visible. Actually seeing the cloudless night almost distracted her from her conflicting emotions. Almost being the key word.

Heavy footfalls, that she recognized as Dosu's, were felt through the roof. On _Gaara's_ side of the roof.

'There will be no death tonight.' She decided, flipping and twisting until she landed in front of Dosu, pulling a kunai in front of her, blocking him off. Not terribly surprised by how similarly they were dressed, or by his appearance in general, she took a stance.

"Ah… you're the one I'm supposed to fight in the Third Round." He chuckled. "The one who managed to trick Kabuto into a sharing oath. I'm not here for _you_ though… I need to take care of Gaara."

"Sorry, but…" She let her eyes become visible in the moonlight. "You can't have him."

"_Kiritsu…."_ Gaara wheezed, sand already forming into the One-Tails. _"I've got to… got to kill-"_

"_No."_ She kept her dark blue right eye on _him_, her strangely colored left one on Dosu. "Shukaku may get pissed at me, but he's not getting his way. You." She pointed her kunai at Dosu. "Leave. We'll pick this up in a month, so be prepared."

"Why?" He asked, tilting his head to the side like a predatory bird.

"Because I used less than ten percent of my full power against Kabuto." She sighed. "Now, let me clean up the mess you've left me with."

He disappeared, and Kiritsu clashed with the partially unleashed Shukaku the rest of the night.

**Quote: **"Of course _you_ think this is funny." He muttered.

Oh, Kankuro. You know Kiritsu loves you… :P But I bet if someone was with him during that little incident, they'd laugh too.


	5. Ch Four: Learning Something New

Notes Before Reading:

'This is thinking'

"_This is Gaara talking normally or when someone is shocked"_ ~Gaara's sentences are ALL italics, while surprise is only a few words.

"_**This is how Gaara talks when he's Shukaku influenced or angry."**_ ~Usually, it's only a word or phrase…

"This is talking"

I'm thankful that Peppermint-drops22, who didn't log in or doesn't have an account on here, reminded me of something. I posted it on Deviantart, but Kiritsu was eight at the end of the prologue, and is now ten or so…

Reasoning: Since she celebrates her birthday with Gaara on the 19th of January (looked it up), and the fact I'm betting the Chuunin Exams were in the summer or late spring considering how little it snowed in the Land of Waves Arc, meaning she hasn't been ten all that long.

Song: Orange Range ~ Asterisk (AKA, Bleach Opening One)

**Chapter Four: Learning Something New **

Kiritsu slipped into the room as Temari woke up, the sun just above the trees that surrounded the village, climbing into Kankuro's bed. He was snoring like a bear- there was no reason to worry about waking him.

"Wow, you look awful," Temari said, pulling up her hair into it's usual four ponytails. "Where were you? You didn't come in last night-"

"On the roof, sparing a life at my own expense." She rubbed her exhausted eyes, the skin around them a dark tan color. "Can you _not_ tell Big Brother who I was fighting Sempai?"

With a sigh, she nodded and walked out. As soon ad Kiritsu's head hit the pillow, Kankuro unconsciously snatched her and snuggled her like an oversized teddy bear. She allowed him to hold her, and drifted off herself.

Around noon, Kankuro woke up, releasing the half-awake girl from his hold.

"Hey *_Miira_," He muttered, poking her. "Where _were_ you last night?"

Tugging her bandages to cover her face better, she muttered, "I kept somebody alive and kicked the crap out of Shukaku."

Not what he'd asked, but straight to the point.

"_What?"_ He got up and started to pull on his day clothes, an angry look in his eye. '_HE did this?" _"Gaara-"

"_No."_ She had a comical angry red mark by her head as she grabbed his arm to stop him. "Just forget I said anything."

"If he hurt-"

"_Please."_ She shook her head. "I probably hurt him more. But… could you do me a favor?"

He angrily sighed and pulled his arm out of her now-slack grip. "What do you want?"

Victorious, she fumbled for her casual skirt and lightweight top, pointing to the door. "After I get changed, we are going out."

" 'Out'?"

"Yeah. Out." Shoving him out the door, she said, "Wear your civilian clothes… and _forget_ the makeup."

He raised an eyebrow. _"Why?"_

"Think of it as… an undercover mission with benefits."

Now wary of her plan -whatever that was- he tried to wedge between the door and the frame. "For what? I need to weaponize the Crow and get ready for the mission- I don't have time for games-"

"It isn't a _game_!" She said, aghast. "I'm not that stupid or childish!"

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Then _do_ explain the point."

If only he could've seen her face… then he would've been more cautious. "Charm the ladies into your will."

Now the expression on _his_ face, _that_ was priceless.

"How did you convince me to do this?" Kankuro asked, sitting at the bar of a small barbeque place. The overwhelming scent of meat was getting to him.

"I'm your little 'Oniichan' and you love me." Kiritsu made an invisible smirk and began to swing her legs, flaring her skirt and spinning her barstool.

He smirked in a knowing way, picking up a menu to see if they had anything reasonably priced. "No, that's not-"

"I'm sorry if my being starving is getting in the way of your _training_ Neji." The sound of an angry girl quieted the restaurant. "I'll see you in an hour. _Bye_."

Sound resumed, and the kunoichi that Temari beat the living dirt out of took a seat next to Kankuro, oblivious to her surroundings.

Kiritsu cleared her throat and kicked Kankuro's chair leg _just_ hard enough to make him wobble without breaking the poor thing.

Giving him a _look_, she pointed at the girl and adopted a childlike tone for cover. "Isn't she cute *Niichan?"

Her eyes flashed over to the sad TenTen, who'd just taken a drink, to Kankuro's astonishment.

"Isn't she?" She pressed, still using the 'baby-voice', acting as cute and innocent as possible. "You should say hi to her."

"Uh…" He swallowed, and turned to TenTen, smiling. "_Hey_, how you doin'?"

Smothering her giggles at the slight blush on TenTen's face, and the surprise on Kankuro's from her reaction, her eyes beamed.

"Since you're not competing any more…" She continued, preparing Kankuro's alias, "Do you want to go and help Temari-Sempai train now?"

As expected, TenTen reacted to this information.

"No…" Kankuro said, oblivious to what she was pulling.

"You know _Temari_?" TenTen said, giving them her full attention.

"_Yeah,"_ Continuing her 'kid-sister' act, she turned to the older girl. "Big Brother knows all her weaknesses so she likes to train with him to improve-"

"I'm not so sure that she _improves_," He smirked and ruffled Kiritsu's hair.

"Hey, cute girl?" Kiritsu looked up into the older girl's eyes. "You want to come see Niisan show off- I mean, train."

"Well… she looked around, torn on whether or not to go back to Neji or blow him off one time.

"If you can't come with us…" Her disappointment was genuine, and her sad puppy-dog eyes melted the girl's nerves of steel. "At least tell us your name so we can try to play another time."

"You know," TenTen smiled and put some money on the counter, kneeling down to Kiritsu's level. "I think my teammate can live without me for an afternoon. My name's TenTen, what's yours?"

"I'm Kiritsu." She smiled. 'The advantages of being little and cute.'

Knowing that TenTen was waiting for his answer, Kiritsu lightly tapped Kankuro's foot, earning a wince and a muttered, "Ken."

"Well, let's see what you're _really_ made of." TenTen lead them out, adjusting the scroll of weapons on her back. "Then _maybe_ I'll spar with you."

He smirked, knowing a challenge when he saw one. "You're in for it now."

'This is going well…' Kiritsu began skipping, off to the side of the two teens to keep up her cover. 'I've almost got him a girlfriend…'

"What's your weapon of choice?" TenTen began, catching his interest.

He smirked. "Usually I add poisoned blades and bombs to my arsenal for my tools of the trade."

"Humor me; What's your _tool_?"

With a shrug, he said, "I'm a puppets master… so…"

"Like Kankuro, Temari's brother?"

Worried that this conversation might veer off in a dangerous route, Kiritsu tugged on TenTen's hand. "Niichan and Kanky are good friends, I sometimes call him 'Big Brother too." *

She smiled at the girl. "Oh, that's cute."

Kankuro gave Kiritsu a look that clearly said he wanted her to leave. Smiling innocently, she skipped off out of sight before dropping the henge.

'Now… who would be fun to unleash Sempai on..?' She walked through the village streets, glad to be in her normal appearance (though it was hidden) again. She spotted Shikamaru and her face split with a grin. '_Perfect_.'

Walking past the lazy boy, she purposefully tripped him, unwilling to waste any more effort.

"Why is a troublesome child like you making trouble? You're not even in your home country." Shikamaru said, getting his face out of the ground.

She smirked. "My Sempai needs a training partner for the third round."

He raised an eyebrow. "Now why would I do a thing like that? It's a pain in the ass and I have my own training to do."

"You don't _want_ to win," she said, shrugging. His peeved look turned curious, and he stuck his hand in his pocket. "So I just thought I'd make it easier on you and your opponent is all…"

That stewed in his mind for a few seconds.

"I really _don't_ want to win…" He looked up to the sky, cloud gazing. "But my Sensei is being a total _drag_ and trying to make me train…"

Satisfied, she lightly punched his shoulder. "I can't promise she'll take it easy on you… but it'll get your Sensei of your back… She's not going to go easy on you."

"Your 'Sempai' is Temari." _That_ translated to- 'No shit.'… "So I'm obviously signing up to go through Hell."

"Hey, if _I_ can go a few rounds with her, you should be fine." She shrugged.

"You're a weird kid Kiritsu," He rubbed his forehead. "I guess I'll think about it…"

"Good." She turned serious. "Meet me and Sempai at the Ichiraku Ramen Stand at five pm. That too troublesome for you Shika?"

"I guess not…" He turned and walked away. "See you then."

"Mph." She began walking to Ichiraku's, planning to get an afternoon snack before finding Temari.

About to order ramen, she paused her silent musings when she sensed someone familiar. Turing to her left, she saw a familiar masked Jonin beside her.

"Miss Kiritsu…" Kakashi said lazily, nose in his book. "What are you trying to accomplish knowingly setting up your siblings with ninja from another country?"

Eyes light and playful, she ordered two ramen, giving him the spare. "Improving international relations?"

He chuckled.

"So how pissed was your teammate when he cornered you for blowing him off the other day?" Kankuro asked TenTen, the pair taking a breather between sparring matches.

"Royally. Which is fitting considering his clan." She managed, looking up to the night sky.

The pair had agreed to spend their training sessions at night to avoid suspicion, and she had _yet_ to adjust to the different sleeping schedule.

He smirked. "I wish I could've been there to see that 'pretty boy' pop his lid when you didn't show."

"It was quite the sight. I _almost_ felt…" She paused. "Like I abandoned him or something."

He raised an eyebrow. "You _sound_ like you feel bad for him."

Frowning, she stood, pulling out her scroll and playing with it between her hands.

Realization dawned on his face, and he smirked. "_Oh_. I get it. You _like_ him don't you?"

Glaring at him, she tried hard to focus on the scrolls.

The smirk on his face widened. "Knew it."

With the flick of her wrist, a kunai went from her hand to a few inches left of where his head now was. He'd moved to avoid it with plenty of time.

"Round two." He muttered with a smile, bringing his puppets to life. . 'Now this is what I'm talking about!'

He'd switched out the Crow with one of the ones he had but rarely used the night before to keep her from recognizing it, but had forgotten to make the switch tonight. He just didn't realize it yet

After a few minutes of sparring, she went in to 'kill' the puppet, but paused when she recognized it. "But-"

He slid behind her and used her arm to move her own kunai to her neck, his free hand controlling the puppet to hold a katana in her face.

"I killed you twice." He said, unimpressed. "I thought you had more fight to you than this."

"It was stupid to bring your own puppet when you're trying to hide your own identity…" She said calmly, suspicion in her tone. "What do you want?"

A split second of being frozen in surprise, and Kankuro flipped her headband over her eyes and wrapped her up in chakra strings on reflex to keep her from trying to run.

Over the next few hours, he sat dumb on what to do while she tried question after question.

Clearing his throat, he blushed a little. "Alright, you win. Just don't tell anybody my real identity and I won't let it slip to your boyfriend how you feel."

She sighed in irritation. "Deal. Now let me go."

"Hm… about that." He smirked, kneeling next to her and breathing in her ear. "Let's keep you tied up until you've calmed down a bit, shall we?"

Her wrists twisted in a vain attempt to undo the chakra strings with her own chakra. Unsuccessful, she growled. _"Jerk."_

Leaning his back against the tree across from her, he snorted. "You're not the first person to tell me that, least of all insult me in some way. I _could_ just leave you here."

He didn't phase her "But you won't."

Giving her a weird look, he said, "What gives you _that_ impression?"

"I could easily scream up a storm." Her head turned to the sound of his approaching voice. With a shrug, she continued. "Then I'd tell them who did this and get you in trouble."

He sighed. "So?"

"You want to win and become a Chuunin, right?"

Hesitating a second, he scratched his head. "Well, _yeah_, but-"

"Then you're going to let me go." She stated, seeming to be patiently waiting.

For a few seconds, he was surprised she'd thought it all out, and let the strings off her with a shrug. Before he could move, a round of explosive notes went off around him.

"Round three!" TenTen said from somewhere in the smoke, reading her weapons, the element of surprise on her side.

'Wasn't she exhausted?' He wondered, then smirked and began to ready his puppet. 'Oh well, I like girls that are tough as nails no matter what.' "Its' _on_!"

Not even five minutes later, they're attacks got severely sloppy from exhaustion, and they decided to quit, dropping to the ground.

After a few minutes of heavy breathing, Kankuro cleared his throat.

"Hey," He said, managing to get to his feet. "It's a big city and all… and it's really late…"

She gave him a confused look as she stood herself.

He smirked. "I don't want a Little Leaf* like you getting hurt. It would make me look bad."

Gaping at his retreating figure for a second, she glared and walked away. "That jerk!"

"See you tonight," He called behind him, waving and chuckling.

"Fight back!" Temari yelled, sending gust after gust of wind from her fan at the tree Shikamaru was hiding in.

'Damn woman.' He thought, hair out of its usual ponytail, irked. 'I'd assumed it would only take a night or two to figure out her strategy, but she's still got me on my toes a week later! What a _drag_!'

"I'll blow the whole forest down if you don't get out here!" She teased, closing in on him.

He shook his head his head with disgust. "The Nara Forest can take a hurricane or two. Troublesome woman…"

Knowing she'd avoid getting too close until the 'kill' because of his Shadow Possession Jutsu, he decided to give a surprise attack a shot. Using his advantage of knowing the area, he allowed her to pursue him into a small clearing where movement and setting traps was _much_ easier.

Slipping across the clearing, he circled back and came up behind her, as silent as a shadow. Two feet behind her, he didn't dare to breathe… until she stepped back and fluidly swung her fan around, connecting it with the side of his head.

The lights went out.

Around noon, suspended by a complex set of trip-wire between several trees, Shikamaru woke up to the sound of his teammates calling his name.

_Great._

"Aw man." He said, trying to wiggle himself free and failing miserably. "How am I going to explain this? Troublesome woman…"

To his relief, it was Choji that found him.

Smiling, the boy said, "How..?"

With a groan, Shikamaru slightly blushed. "Later. Just get me out of this mess before _they_ find me, okay?"

"Sure, but.." He eyed the knots and overall complexity of the whole thing. "It looks kind of hard to undo…"

"Just use a kunai and cut me down." He said, really annoyed now. "I'll let you have my share of BBQ later."

"_Okay_…" He said warily, slicing several dozen strings at once, causing Shikamaru to land with a low thud and a groan.

"So." Choji lent out an arm to help him up. "Who did that to _you_?"

With less than a week until the third round, tensions between the competitors rose, and Kiritsu was now about to corner Jiraiya the Toad Sage and Icha Icha author. And _why_ would she want to do that?

The answer was quite simple: Naruto was fighting fang and claw (literally) to stay on Gamagachi s back.

"Pervy Sage." She said, adopting the nickname she'd heard Naruto use during her snooping, swinging to stand upside down on a tree branch.

As expected, the perverted hermit turned to the sound of the 'cute girl' voice, and saw Kiritsu holding up her skirt. His excitement diminished.

"What do you want kid?" He asked, irritated.

She expected his reaction and gave him a dirty and stern look. "I want to know which demon Naruto's holding."

Ignoring his surprise, she continued, "I can tell because of his chakra… and because Kakashi basically told me when I mentioned Gaara…"

"Ah, you're that Kazekage's adopted kid," He said, then groaned, getting into a more comfortable position on the tree. "Naruto is the Jinchuuriki of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, the Kyuubi."

She frowned, feeling bad for the kid. "Considering your training… Do you know when he found out?"

"I think… just this year." He frowned. "Why do you ask?"

Saddened, she flipped over and dropped next to him, landing lightly. "I've been told that Gaara found out the night I was taken in and adopted…"

Pausing at that, he gave a curious look when he saw her eyes. "What do they call you, Ryuu-girl?"

'Dragon girl?' She mused, smiling. "Kiritsu Sabaku."

"Ah, now I remember the story now." He put his scroll strap over his shoulder and straightened up, and she noticed the sun was beginning to go down. "Well, I'd better go before _that_ is over."

"The Toad Boss is giving Naruto a hard time," Her eyes went unfocused. "Aren't you going to take care of your student?"

He groaned. "You sound like my old Sensei. Naruto can take care of himself, I'm positive."

As she watched the Sage return to the village, she decided to catch up to the giant toad and help him with Naruto.

_**Quote: **__"Uh…" He swallowed, and turned to TenTen, smiling. "_Hey_, how you doin'?" _

_XD… I imagined him saying this when I was watching the Chuunin Exam arc over again in the English Dub, and couldn't stop smiling for a couple of hours. Kankuro's English Dub voice is slightly nasal but has a sarcastic edge that makes whatever he says come off as flirting… It was too funny _not_ to add. _

_A/N _

_*Miira is one of the words for 'Mummy' in Japanese (the bandages she wraps her entire body in). Like Dooru- which means 'Doll' (for her unusually small size), they're the nicknames Kankuro came up with. _

_*She calls Kankuro Niisan and Niichan, depending on her mood._

_*This is common in Japan. A young girl can call her sibling or an older boy she admires by this honor-fic term. _

_*Little Leaf- There's a fan fiction called 'A Little Green Leaf'. I thought the fic was good, and this is Kankuro's nickname for TenTen in the story. It's KankuTen, and I was still a major NejiTen fan when I read it, but…_

_I_ got to have some fun with this chapter, mocking some characters and pairings…

Since I'm at a writing camp this week, I'll be getting a _lot_ of typing done, and will put the short story for that on here as well. Even though it's not exactly true, it's going to be in the TMNT category, posted later during this week. I'd love to hear about what you think of it.

_**I'll try to update every few days to at least once a week. Chapter five is in the works.**_


	6. CH Five: Not Much Time

**Chapter Five: Not Much Time**

Konoha Hospital. One of the best medical facilities in the Five Great Nations, and Tsunade hadn't been here for _years_. At least, that information had been taught to Kiritsu, which she was now seeing firsthand. The building was amazing, but she walked the halls with unfocused eyes, on a self-appointed mission to find Rock Lee.

Ever since the fight between him and Gaara, she'd been waiting for the right moment to talk to Lee, but it hadn't been the right time just yet. A trip to the hospital now that she'd helped a patient (Naruto) was much easier.

"He's been recovering quite well," The annoyingly bright and cheery medic hugged her clipboard to her chest. "I think he'll be on his feet really soon!"

"Hn." She said, only half-hearing the woman as the prattling continued to the room.

"He should either be sleeping or attempting to train again." She sighed. "The first time he had visitors, the poor cuties found him trying to do _push ups_! Right after he got injured and everything-"

"That's all very interesting, but I'd like to-" Kiritsu's irritation was cut off by the sound of the door opening.

Lee stood, heavily leaning on his crutches and the doorframe.

"You shouldn't be out of bed-" The medic's protests died when she saw the look on Kiritsu's bandaged face. "I'll leave you two now."

"Thank you." Relieving the door from Lee's grasp, she helped him stand a little taller. "You may not recognize me… but-"

"I apologize for interrupting you, because you have something to say that is probably very important, but…" He said, and she helped him back to the bed. "Are you Kiritsu-san, the one that stopped Gaara-san before he could…" He swallowed. "Kill me?"

"Yes." She smiled even though he only saw a hint of it. Taking his hand between two of hers, she noticed his hand was ice cold. "But I don't really deserve your gratitude. All I'd want is…"

He raised a thick eyebrow. 'Why doesn't she want the thanks she deserves?' "What would you want me to give you then?"

"All I want to know is if you blame Gaara for your injuries… If you do, which is your right, I beg you for his forgive-"

"Kiritsu-chan." He said, tearing up. It would have been touching if he didn't look so comical. "I do not blame Gaara for my injuries. In fact, I have learned a lot from him."

It seemed relief spread across her face. 'Thank _God_. Someone finally said it!' "Really?"

He nodded, eyes impossibly wider when the small, bandaged girl* hugged him tightly around the middle. "Kiritsu-chan?"

Releasing him, she looked pleased. "Thank you Lee. Now, you've got to rest up; if I don't become a Chuunin this time around, I want you in top shape to compete." She winked. "And the ladies love to see handsome guys competing."

He smiled and gave her the 'good-guy pose'*. "I will do my best!"

Returning the pose, she opened the door… to see Sakura and her usual flower for Lee. The older gave her an astonished look when she saw her, especially when she saw her eye.

Rolling said eyes, Kiritsu smiled through her bandages. "I have no clue why I look this way either… and he's waiting for you."

"Okay…" Sakura said, deciding to ask Kakashi Sensei about visual Kekkei Genkai in Suna the next time she saw him, stepping around the little girl. "Thank you."

"No problem." She wasn't paying attention to the older girl, feeling accomplished.

Reaching the hotel room, she pulled off her bandages off once and for all, changing into comfortable pants, and collapsing onto the bed she shared with Temari or Kankuro.

While Baki had a meeting with Kabuto and Dosu on the roof, Gaara's mutterings coming from the other room, and her 'siblings' leaving for and returning from their training sessions, she slept like the dead.

In fact, none of them woke up until past noon.

"Man, did she die?" Kankuro muttered, poking Kiritsu in the side. "Her skin looks all burnt up or something… and that mark on her face-"

"Stop that." Temari grabbed his hand. "There's got to be an explain-"

"Sorry to disappoint." Kiritsu muttered, voice muffled by the blankets. "I was born like this… but I don't know any more than you do…"

"It doesn't look bad or anything, just strange." Kankuro ruffled her hair with a smile. "Makes sense that you cover yourself up all the time."

She gave him a dirty look and yawned. "Tomorrow… I'll take my anger out on Dosu."

He raised an eyebrow before grabbing his clothes and heading in the direction of the bathroom, pocketing his face paint. "Why not take me on now? You can still take me when you're exhausted like this."

"Not. Worth. My. Time." She said, face in the mattress. "Sleep now, anger later."

"Speaking of later," Temari said thoughtfully. "Shikamaru said he was planning on visiting Naruto and Choji in the hospital today.. If that means anything to you."

"Yeah…" She drawled, rolling over onto her back. "I'll check it out later…"

The sound of moving sand caught the attention of the three. A trail of sand slid across the window and down the street. Kiritsu's eyes narrowed.

"I wonder where he's going…" Kankuro muttered, then went towards the bathroom. "He hasn't tried to kill anybody since that Rock Lee guy, I wonder if he's going to blow off some steam-"

Kiritsu's eyes popped open, and in a split second, she was in normal clothes and all bandaged up again.

"Hey- Kiritsu!" Temari jumped up, reaching for her as the smaller girl jumped out the window. "Where are you _going_?"

'I have a really bad feeling about this…' Kiritsu thought, heading to the center of town.

"Where is she going?" Kankuro said, peeking his head out from behind the bathroom door, face paint half on.

"After him." Temari said, throat dry, grabbing the window frame in worry. "to the hospital…"

"_Why?"_

Only feet from Lee's hospital rooms' window, Kiritsu prepared for anything. 'He's not going to finish off Lee on my watch!'

The window was cracked open to let in some air, and she could see Gaara in the room, ready and waiting for the moment to strike.

Before he attacked, the door opened, and revealed Naruto and Shikamaru. Shikamaru's shadow went around and froze Gaara.

"Possession successful." Shikamaru said, standing.

"Hey!" Naruto yelled, pointing at Gaara and half-yelling as usual. "Why are you attacking Bushy Brow?"

"_I have to kill him."_ Gaara said, voice going awry. _"Why do you let him live?"_

'Oh _no_.' Kiritsu thought. '_Shukaku_.'

"I won't let you hurt him." Naruto said, stepping foreword with a smirk on his face.

"_You think you can stop me?"_

"I know I can." He stepped closer. "I have a demon inside of me- I can do anything I want to you!"

'He can't _possibly_ think he can take Gaara! Even if he does have _some_ control over the 9-Tails…' Kiritsu thought, inching closer.

The wheezy laughter from Gaara implied he felt similarly to her. _"Demon… I'm not afraid of that… because I really __**am**__ one."_

'And that's my cue.' Kiritsu slid through the window and took a stance between Gaara and Lee. "Shukaku."

He glared at her, but she didn't flinch, readying her chakra for what would come next. _"Why do you always get in me and Mother's way? I don't want or need your 'help'!"_

"I'm doing this for your own good…" …'So I can call you friend' Her thoughts added, and she said quietly. "Naruto, Shikamaru-"

"We're not going." Shikamaru said flatly. Naruto nodded.

Sweat-dropping a second, she shrugged. "Your funerals if you get in the way."

Turning to Gaara, she made a few hand-signs, creating three clones of herself that didn't quite look like clones. "Do you _really_ want to face me Shukaku? You've never had it in you to kill me all the other times."

Gaara moaned in pain and clutched his tattoo, his sand retreating into his gourd as he fell to his knees, and a wavy purple haze seemed to radiate from the four Kiritsu's to him.

'Genjutsu?' Shikamaru thought, seeing the strange hand-sign all the copies were making. 'Does this happen rarely or often?'

"Now, let's leave the fighting for another day, okay?" She said in a patronizing manner, but he just groaned, and her clones dispersed after their eyes glowed a little. "Good…"

Turning to Shikamaru, she said wistfully, "Please don't hate him for this."

"Why _shouldn't_ we?" Naruto said, glaring. "He tried to kill-"

"It's not his fault, whether you believe that or not." She gave the boys an apologetic look. "He's like a flipside of how you are Naruto."

"Do _not_ compare _him_ to _me_." Was his response, crossing his arms over his chest.

"If it's any consolation," She said, moving her body under Gaara's 'unconscious' arm to lift him up. "He'd tried to kill me countless times, and _I_ don't hate him."

"Why not?" He demanded, but she shook her head and carried Gaara back to the apartment. *

* * *

><p>"<em>So<em>…" Kankuro had a senbon in his mouth as TenTen walked up to him. "We get to see if our hard work has paid off tomorrow."

"Yeah," She said, wary of a surprise attack. He'd pulled off quite a few, even without his puppets.

The last few days their 'training' had been just talking to each other after a Taijutsu spar or something non-weapon related.

He rolled his eyes, makeup-covered face relaxed and open. "Since it's the last night and all… How about we not fight? I don't really feel like it."

She raised an eyebrow. "Then what do you feel like doing?"

A sarcastic remark came to mind*, but he shrugged. "Don't know. What _is _a thing you Leaf-nin's do on a night like this one?"

'What did he mean by that..?' She looked up in wonder, gasping at the clear sky with countless stars.

After a few seconds of enjoying her astonishment, he tilted his head to the side. "Well?"

Swallowing, she blushed in shame. "I really don't know. I've been too focused on being a kunoichi for that kind of thing."

"Ah." He nodded, understanding. 'I hate tricking her for security reasons, but she can't know I've prepared for invading her country.' "I understand that. Being a ninja is really important to you."

She frowned, leaning against the tree next to his log-bench. "My parents say I should focus on other things…but…"

"Hey, my dad is the complete opposite." He smirked, standing up. "So I get pressured in other ways…"

'He's… really tall.' She thought, eyes a little wider than normal when he got really close. "What are you trying to do?"

"Hm…" His smirk widened, and one of his hands raised up to the side of her head. Her eyes widened as he undid the knot of her forehead protector, slipping it off her head. "Look, now you're _just_ a Little Leaf."

She turned an angry red at his satisfied look, confused at his plan as he took off that silly hat he wore.

"And I'm _just_ a visiting guy from Suna." He said, smiling.

Taking a deep breath, she took her hair out of it's buns, looking down. "So… what now?"

"Surprise me." He said, shrugging.

She groaned, face palming as she walked away.

"Where's our date going to be Little Leaf?" He asked jokingly, keeping up with her by lengthening his stride.

She shot him an irritated glare. "Ichiraku's."

"The ramen place?" He said, surprised. She nodded. "Hm… Kiritsu said she liked that place…"

"Whatever." She closed her eyes and grabbed his wrist, dragging the surprised puppeteer into town. "Just… _try_ to behave."

He laughed. "You sound like Temari… in a good way."

'Half a compliment. Impressive.' She thought. "Whatever you say Jerkface."

"Hey, I'm trying to be a good date here." He gave her a look of mock offence.

"This isn't a date." She grumbled.

"If your training buddy sees you, you can just tell him that to make him jealous."

"He's not that type."

'Oh _really_?' Kankuro stopped, and idea coming to him. "Hold on…"

Walking over to a dripping pipe, he used the water to wipe the makeup off. With a smile (a _real _one, not a smirk), he turned back to her.*

"I'm sure he'll get jealous of _this _face." He teased lightly.

"… Sure." She said, turning pink and grabbing his hand, not looking at him. "Like that'll work…"

"So you admit I'm good-looking." He said, smiling bigger when she ignored him. 'It's what she _refuses _to say that says the most.' "I guess that's a yes."

"_Please_, it'll take more than _that _to charm me…" She said, then saw Naruto, Iruka, Kakashi Sensei, and _her own _Sensei at the restaurant talking to the server Ayame. 'Great, witnesses to my humiliation…'

"TENTEN!" She flinched at the sound of Guy Sensei's yell. "Are you experiencing the youthfulness of _new love_?"

"N-" SHe tried to protest, but Kankuro just changed his smile to a smirk, directing the look to Guy.

"Yes sir, I'm taking this Little Leaf on a date." He didn't flinch at the man's possible insanity. It wasn't scary to him in comparison to a lot of what his brother did.

"And what is your name? There hasn't been a fine young man that has yet stolen the heart of my TenTen before!" He asked in his booming voice.

"Ken." He said, using the old alias, and suppressing his laughter. "Of Suna."

Behind them, the others and a smaller girl behind the waitress* laughed as Guy continued to embarrass TenTen to 'Ken'.

* * *

><p>"Do you have any reason to explain your protests in completing this mission?" Baki asked Temari, who stared right back at him.<p>

"It's not right! Things are getting better- more peaceful!" Temari protested. "Why can't we just-"

"Your _father_ assigned you this mission." He retorted loudly, seeing her wince. "If you don't want to do this for your people, do it because he told you to!"

Kankuro frowned, a hand on his puppet, the other in his pocket. 'Sure I'm not as behind this as I used to be… but Temari's _never _gone against a direct order like this…'

With another wince, Temari stared the Jonin down. "The peace is fragile already! What if Gaara fails? We'll loose a valuable alliance!" In the corner of the room, Kiritsu was curled up in a pile of blankets, appearing deeply asleep. The two siblings weren't fooled.

"This plan will not fail." Baki looked away from her, leaving the room. "Now rest up; tomorrow's the big day."

"Yeah…" She said, uneasy. Her brother put the hand that had been on his puppet to a place on her shoulder.

To neither of their surprise, Kiritsu sat up.

"It's wrong and it won't feel good to betray them…" She murmured, half asleep. "I mean… we have to do what we've been ordered, even if it doesn't sit right with us…"

The others understood, it was clearly visible on their faces, but they tried to shrug it off.

"The only people we'll betray in the end is ourselves I guess…" She continued. "If we can live with that.. Which I'm going to learn to do… then we'll be alright. No guilt."

"I _can_ live with that." Kankuro said slowly, leaving the two girls as he went to the bedroom.

"Liar." Kiritsu whispered. "Stupid Oniisan*."

Temari, surrendering to her weakness, held the little girl in her lap tight. "Why do we have to do this? Orochimaru's the type to betray us last minute!"

"Who knows Sempai…" She said, hugging the girl even though she was having trouble breathing. "Let's just get some sleep- you don't want to loose to your lazy-ass Deer, do you?"

"No." She said, and taking the little girl's hand, the two went to the bedroom and climbed into the mattress together. *

"Night…"

* * *

><p>The next day on her way to the arena, Kiritsu saw Hinata training. With a smile hidden by bandages, she decided she had enough time to talk to the admirable older girl.<p>

"I wish we had stumps like these back home," Kiritsu said as she leaned against the post, startling the girl. "It seems to make training a lot more meaningful. Good work."

"T-thank you." She turned a bright red. "A-aren't you s-supposed to be a-a-at the arena?"

"I've got time." She held out a hand. "My name's Kiritsu Sabaku."

"H-Hinata Hyuuga." SHe said, taking the offered hand hesitantly and allowing a small smile. "Wh-what are you d-doing here Kiritsu-san?"

"Actually, I wanted to ask a favor of you…" She said, putting her hands in her pockets. "If that's not a problem Hinata-chan."

"W-What is it?"

Her unseen smile grew. "It's actually two… The first one is to tell Naruto you like him. I'm sure if that idiot knew you liked him, he'd be very happy to have you as his girlfriend."

She got a little woozy. "Naruto-kun… would… like me?"

"Yeah…" Leaning to the side, she inclined her head. "He kind of already does. Try to relax though, because my second favor is a little more demanding."

After taking a few deep breaths, she partially recovered, beginning to hit the training target for concentration. "Okay…"

"No matter what happens today, don't think I'd hurt someone unless I was forced to." She slapped her own chest in emphasis. "I don't want you to hate me if the people you care about get hurt because it's what's expected of me by my village."

"D-don't worry… Kiritsu-chan," She said, smiling a little. "I-I've done things that I'd rather n-not do on missions that I d-didn't want to…that doesn't mean I h-hate the people I d-did those th-things t-to."*

Relief radiated from Kiritsu. "Thank you. Now don't forget to tell Naruto you like him!"

As she watched the younger girl walk away, she called, "I… I-I won't forget!"

A few minutes later, while Kiritsu talked with Kankuro about the competition with Temari and Kankuro in the arena with a satisfied look on her face, a disgruntled Naruto walked up to where Hinata was.

"N-Naru-Naruto," SHe managed, blushing as he turned to her with a smile.

* * *

><p><em>(AN) _

_* A brief look at Kiritsu's stats: Height, four feet. Hair length- long enough to cover her behind, maybe just an inch or two down her thighs. Just to tell you in case you haven't been to my Deviantart yet._

_*The thumbs-up that Guy Sensei and Lee do in the anime. It's so fitting, isn't it? _

_*Kiritsu really doesn't have an answer for Naruto. Sure she always defends Gaara with good logic, but her reasons for being so defensive are unknown to even her… but she's always seemed to have a thing for wanting to help Jinchuuriki. _

_*Any teenage guy or girl can guess easy what he meant… 'I'd do you'. Yes, I make Kankuro come off as a flirt, but his character asked for it. _

_*When I saw Kankuro without his makeup for the first time in Shippuden… ~fans self~ Me and some of my friends wonder why he covers up his good looks_

_*This girl is to be properly introduced _after_ a major cannon-plot change in the story…_ that some of you may not like_… so she just gets cameo appearances until then _

_*She's not happy with Kankuro, so she went a little more formal _

_*This is normal for very close-siblings behavior- for you perverts out there _

_*Writing Hinata's stuttering problem is harder than it looks, I hope I got it right._

* * *

><p><em>Quote: <em>"TENTEN!" She flinched at the sound of Guy Sensei's yell. "Are you experiencing the youthfulness of _new love_?"

_XD I love Guy Sensei and his quirks_

* * *

><p><strong>This was the first chapter with the major dialogue edits in comparison to my written copy. Chapter six is in the works.<strong>

* * *

><p>Please, for the love of all that is holy, don't swear in reviews. I don't swear much myself, and will delete any comments that have non-productive swearing in them. And if you don't have constructive criticism in your review, think about it before you post.<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Just putting it out there: I'm NaruHina, SasuSaku or LeeSaku and SasuKarin (depending on the situation), ShikaTema, Suigetsu x Karin (again depending on the situation), and normally NejiTen but I found I liked Neji x Shion and KankuTen as well. <strong>_

_**I'm fully aware the difference between the Main Character stories and Oc-Centric ones, I just have a difficulty developing my own original plot without my own personal touch. My own prompt would most likely be post-series, like this: **_

_**Years after the Fourth Shinobi World War, Naruto is the Hokage and is married to the love of his life that saved him at the end of the War, Hinata. Sakura runs the Konoha Hospital, happily married to Lee, who she fell in love with after the war. Sasuke is still on the run from the 5 Great Nations, ashamed to have almost killed the one person that cared about him even after all the crimes he committed, while Juugo and Suigetsu help Karin in Konoha. When it is discovered that the Akatsuki's old base has been raided and kids are being made Jinchuuriki again, the three old friends join up to end the madness once and for all.**_

_**Yes I could probably do something like that, but I try to make the fic have a more cannon feel to it despite the OC's. Playing around with the plotline has always been a bad habit of mine... **_

_**I am working on something non-Naruto related for a writing camp I'm in, I'll be posting it on here at the end of the week. If you want to know how I write other than for Naruto, be my guest and see it.**_


	7. CH Six: The Final Round

**Chapter Six: The Final Round**

_(Author notes (A/N), are marked by '*', and you can look at the bottom of each page for them)_

* * *

><p>"Now, the third round of the Chuunin Exams may begin." A different man than the previous proctor called out. "The first fight is Kiritsu of Suna and Dosu of Oto, anyone else, please go to the stands."<p>

As they were left alone, Kiritsu and Dosu stared at each other, neither surprised at the new proctor.

'Sir Coughs- a -Lot was killed a month ago by Daddy.' She thought, stomach clenching in an unpleasant way. 'But that doesn't set anything back. I just need to be prepared for any attack Dosu comes up with…'

"You may begin."

The words had barely left his lips when Kiritsu made a few hand signs, creating a shield of water to counter Dosu's high-pitched sound waves attack (Water-Style: Controlled Water Prison). He tried to attack again, but it only drilled partially into the barrier.* She took her stance more firmly against the wall.

'Sound has difficulty going through _my_ water…' She gasped, feeling a slight tremble through the barrier. 'At least it's holding.'

Every sound-based attack was held off by the barrier, and it gradually wore Kiritsu down. The toll on her chakra had her going through a few levels* before she had her plan ready.

'But it almost seems like he knows my limits…' She thought, then dodged a kunai he threw at her that sliced right through the barrier, smirking. 'Trying something else now?'

Making holes in the bottom of the shield, she broke away from the wall and kept herself in the sphere as she placed paper bombs along the ground, thinking of how to place him in her trap's range.

"His Genjutsu is top form…" She muttered. "But all but his speed is weak… _that's it_!"

After another minute or two of cat-and-mouse and keeping him busy with the bombs, she took her stance, staying almost unnaturally still. Her appearance under the bandages was already changing from lack of chakra, which showed how far she was extending herself. Dosu saw the opening and advanced, using his sound-induced speed to move towards her, thinking that it would all be over in the next second. He was going too fast to stop safely.

'Just a little closer…' He was a millisecond away from her when she used Taijutsu on him, pushing him with almost every drop of strength in her body and chakra, sending him flying into the wall across from her in the arena.

As she began to feel the adrenaline wear off, she tried to catch her breath, knowing from the roaring yells that he was down for the count.

Panting, she stood, looking towards the proctor.

"The winner," He held out his arm. "Kiritsu."

The cheering became louder, and she slowly walked up into the stands.

* * *

><p>"Da-yam.*" Kiritsu said, watching Naruto use the Kyuubi chakra against Neji. "Talk about a back-up plan."<p>

Kankuro shrugged, and Temari bit her lip as she watched the fight.

'You don't have to betray someone you care about after beating them,' Her expression said. Kiritsu's stomach twisted, but she tried to put on a brave face.

"Relax, we'll be home and away form all this before you know it," She said, patting the older girl's arm while they watched Naruto give the final blow. "Now, go beat up Lazy-Bones."

"Sure." She said, jumping down to the arena floor from their level. Taking a deep breath, she released the catch on her fan and opened it all the way, sending a hurricane-force gust at the viewing stand Shikamaru was hiding in. "Come down and fight me!"

There was an audible groan, and Kiritsu could tell he had a 'why me' expression all over his face.

"Go and show her who'd boss Shikamaru!" Naruto yelled, and booted the other boy down from the stands into the arena.

He flipped and planted kunai in the wall, grabbing them before he became a spattered mess on the ground, irritated look on his face.

"Begin." The proctor said, and Temari began a ruthless onslaught.

Seeing her opportunity, Kiritsu decided this would be her last chance to speak to Naruto in a friendly manner, and ran to where he was watching the fight.

"Hey Noodle-Brains," She said, using the nickname she'd heard one of the servers at Ichiraku's use for him. "You fought well."

"Yeah, you too," He said, smiling at the praise. " Guess what? I kept my promise to Hinata, she'll be so happy. _Dattebayo_.*"

She smiled, then said in a lower tone, "The Kyuubi's power works wonders when you need a boost, doesn't it?"

For a second he was frozen, giving her a distrustful look. "How did you know about that? _I_ didn't tell you, dattebayo."

"Jiraiya-Ero* told me." She crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "And I can sense your demon just as easily as I can sense any other Jinchuuriki that I've met, so lighten up."

His stance relaxed, and he smiled as he crossed his arms to match hers. "Don't worry about it Sis.*"

* * *

><p>When Shikamaru gave up, Kiritsu nodded in approval, smile widening to an almost visible size at the expression she guessed was on Temari's face.<p>

"What?" Why did he do that?" Naruto demanded.

"It was the smart choice," Kiritsu said, then grabbed his arm, dragging him to the stairs. "Now let's get Lazy-Bones."

"Sure…" He said, and allowed her to half-drag him down the stairs to the arena floor.

Once at the side of the trash-splattered genius, she used a wind-type move to clear off the dirt and grime. "Get up or I'll make you. Since I'm tired, you don't have long to choose."

"Troublesome tiny girl." He said, brushing off his backside as he got to his feet.

The three walked _up_ the staircase as the delay for Gaara and Sasuke's fight was called. When she sensed inner turmoil heading their way, she knew it was Gaara, with Shukaku almost fully in control and filled with bloodlust.

"Oh great," She said, about to stop the two boys in front of her. "We should-"

The sound of people speaking in low voices up ahead reached them.

"Hey, can you loose for us?" A man said, unknowingly sealing his fate by getting in Gaara's path.

"_Get out of my way."_ Was Gaara's response. _"I don't take orders from anyone. I'll kill you if you don't move."_

Shoving Naruto and Shikamaru down, she winced at the clearly audible screams and the smell of freshly spilt blood, and could sense the boys shaking in shock and fear below her body.

Gaara's slow, steady steps neared them, and as he passed, Kiritsu looked up to catch his gaze. There was no fear in her eyes as she saw the bloodlust there, like someone that could look death in the eye like they pity it, and she watched his back as he left. Once passed, she tapped Naruto and Shikamaru on the back, alerting them.

"He's gone." SHe said, and they stood with relief on their faces.

Naruto looked like he felt lucky to be still standing, and as they continued up the stairs, asked. "How… how could he do that?"

"He has no control over himself…" She said, not wanting to tell them about the demon, lips twisting into an unpleasant grimace under her bandages. "He has an impulse to kill anything considered a threat or inconvenience… Normally only destroying people with power levels close to his own when I let him."

"_That's_…" Shikamaru paused. "Animalistic."

"I know…" She said sadly. "I wish I could make it better, but I'm not strong enough to put a real stop to him yet."

They had reached the viewing stage, and Kiritsu went off to find her siblings when Sasuke arrived in the arena. It would soon be time for the war against Konoha.

* * *

><p><em>This was more a filler chapter to set up for the next one. I'd forgotten it was so short, so I'll do a little background information on the cameo OC form the previous chapter to lighten the mood before the next big battle scene. The line this girl was featured in: <em>

~Behind them, the others and a smaller girl behind the waitress laughed as Guy continued to embarrass TenTen to 'Ken'. ~

_This is how 'a smaller girl' met Naruto:_

At age six, Naruto suffered from teasing and abandonment from the other academy students. Angry and sad, he ran and hid in Konoha park, where he stayed until it was nearly nightfall. He didn't come out when he heard the adults calling for him- he didn't think they really wanted to find him, and would stay hidden until they dragged him back to his apartment. Or so he planned.

A girl walked by, a bag of groceries in her arms. She wasn't an academy student; Her clothes were simple and not made to run around in, and she appeared to look like she had a cooking job because of the apron around her waist.

Curious, Naruto considered jumping out of his hiding place to scare her, but she noticed him first. Stopping, she turned and kneeled at the edge of the bushes, smiling as she supported the bag with one hand and using the other to pull the bushes open.

"What are you doing hiding in the bushes?" She said, and he shied away from her, distrustful of her kindness. "Come on out, I can't hurt you."

He watched her offered hand for a trick, then took it cautiously. As she helped him stand, he noted that she was bigger than him. Probably older too.

"What's your name?" She asked, still smiling as he blushed.

"N-Naruto Uzumaki." He said, suddenly shy. "What about you Oneechan?"

"I'm Hama-Tsu." She said, looking at him but not quite looking at him. "Are you hungry Naruto-kun?"

He was about to say the negative, but his stomach growled, betraying him.

Taking his hand after grabbing for it, she started pulling him along with her. "Come with me, I'll get you something to eat."

'Is she going to take me to her house?' He wondered, worried if her parents would kick him out like any other adult did.

Hearing his name being called nearby, he allowed her to take him wherever she was going, hopeful he wouldn't get caught.

They walked through town, he noticed that people were giving Oneechan weird looks. He didn't let it bother him much; he was getting food and Hama-Tsu was nice to him. When they stopped, it was in front of a small vender stand, where the smell of warm food began to beckon him.

"Here it is," Hama-Tsu let go of his hand and walked inside, getting behind the counter and calling out, "Teuchi-oji! Ayame-Itiko**. I have a friend that's really hungry, can you make him something?"

"Sure Hama-chan," A teenage girl walked out, and Naruto guessed that this was Ayame. "Do you like ramen Kodomo**?"

He shrugged. "I've only had instant ramen in a cup…"

"Then you're in for a treat." She smiled. "What's your name?"

"Naruto Uzumaki, dattebayo." He said, happy she wasn't giving him an angry look either. In fact, all these smiling faces were making him feel better.

"Well Naruto, let's get you some ramen okay?"

He grinned and took a seat on a stool next to the bar table, swinging his legs in hyperactive impatience. Taking one bite of the ramen, the girls and their guardian saw he was in love with the stuff.

After several bowls, he finally stopped eating. Some of the ANBU that had been sent after him, Kakashi Hatake in particular, were watching with interest.

"I've never seen anybody eat that much ramen." Said a younger man called Tenzo. Kakashi just chuckled.

"Well, you know who his mother is," He said, and the others laughed too.

Hama-Tsu smiled and sat next to Naruto. "Want to come her again Noodle Brains?"**

He smiled, putting his hands behind his head. "Yeah! I'll be back tomorrow, dattebayo!"

* * *

><p><em>(AN) _

_* I didn't want to do the 'NARUTO' thing and have her go into a lot of detail about her attack before she did the actual move, so here it is in a scientific way: _

_Since sound travels through water a lot faster than it does through air, I assumed it actually got 'stuck' in the water better as well. Adding chakra to the water to keep the sound contained would only increase the blocking ability- making it a fairly strong defense, but not an offensive ability despite it's great chakra output. She wouldn't be able to beat Dosu with just that, and would have to only use the Jutsu a short time before changing tactics. It is also pervious to physical attacks. _

_*Remember her mentioning only allowing herself a certain amount of chakra at a time/ limiting her own power? She's pushing her limits here. A lot. _

_*This is Kiritsu's first time swearing in this fic (damn), and will not be the last. Yes she's ten, but my baby cousin has been able to swear since he learned to talk- it's all about the environment the child is brought up in _

_*I choose Dattebayo over Believe it, so you'll see that instead._

_*She called him Pervy-Jiraiya. _J

_*Naruto's generic term for girls he isn't interested in dating-wise in the dub (He also used it on Haku, but he didn't know Haku was a boy at the time)_

_**Old Man Ichiraku (Teuchi) and Ayame are relatives of Hama-Tsu: Her uncle (oji) and cousin (Itiko)_

_**Kodomo- an honorific for child_

_** I mentioned in a previous chapter that an Ichiraku Ramen Shop server gave Naruto this nickname._

* * *

><p><em>Ht tp:  the other daughter info . tumblr . com / ~ Go here if you want to ask me anything about either my story/OC's, or me in general._


	8. CH Seven: Loyalty and Warfare's Choice

**Chapter Seven: Loyalty and Warfare's Choice**

When Kiritsu heard Gaara (more likely Shukaku, she fixed in her head) _scream_, her heart twisted in her chest. It had never been this bad before. Looking to her siblings, she noticed their surprised expressions, and turned to the Kage podium… to see the Kazekage was no longer there.

Orochimaru stood in the Kazekage robes, laughing as the chaos erupted in the stadium, and began to attack the Hokage. The Suna-nin jumped from their hidden places, clashing with the Konoha ANBU, and Kiritsu rushed to her siblings. They ran to Gaara's side in the same step.

Her stomach flipped when she saw the blood. Shooting to his side, she wondered where it had come from. She hadn't seen Sasuke bleed… 'That's why _he_ screamed! He's never seen his own blood before…'

"We need to get him away from here to transform." Kankuro yelled, putting Gaara's arm around his shoulders to lift him up easier.

"Okay…" Kiritsu swallowed hard and followed her siblings, giving Temari a dirty look when she offered to carry her. It wasn't the time for that. "Let's just get _out_ of here."

They jumped out the hole in the wall, leaving Baki and the others behind.

'Don't hate me for what I'm doing…'

For once, Kankuro, Temari, and Kiritsu had the same thought as they paused once crossing over the village gates.

"We'll need to get moving!" Temari said, speaking first. "The probability of the Leaf-nin staying in that Genjutsu for much longer is slim to none. They'll be on our tail any minute."

"Well, we _did_ just attack their leader and declare war against them," Kankuro said, shifting Gaara's weight into a more comfortable position before they continued running.

"I've questioned joining up with Orochimaru from the beginning, but your dad… I mean…" Kiritsu shook her head, messing with a kunai between her dominant hand and the other with an unsure aura around her. "Where's Yondaime Kazekage? He should have been here."

The other two understood where she was getting at with wide eyes.

"Damn it…" Kankuro said, and Temari glared.

"What did that sneaky snake do with dad?" Temari growled, worry lacing her angry tone. "This could've been all for _nothing_."

"If… there's a possibility…" Realization dawned on Kiritsu's face, and her face seemed to darken in shadow.

"Kiritsu, what do you think-" She was cut off.

"That bastard Orochimaru and his minions killed your dad." She growled, and moved her forehead protector and bandages away from her eyes.*

Seeing the forest with clear eyes, her hate-filled glare was visible to her 'siblings'. The two were a little surprised at her ferocity, but continued through the woods.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, with the battling ANBU, two stood out more clearly among the others.*<p>

"Fourteen!" One called out (her mask a weasel), and her partner (with a mask that resembled a laughing face), cut down another. "I don't understand why you like to count-"

"Fifteen!" She responded, and the two laughed through the chaos, coming alongside Kakashi and Guy.

"Hey Kakashi-Sempai, heads up!" Weasel called out, alerting him to an attack towards his blind spot, allowing him to give the attacker a finishing blow. "How many have you taken down?"

"My eternal rival has taken down twenty-five." Guy yelled, fighting back-to-back with the 'Laughing-Faced' ANBU. "I, however, have taken down twenty-seven-"

"Twenty-nine." Kakashi said calmly, landing next to Weasel.

Guy's jaw dropped, and Laughter used her hand to close his jaw.

"He's the Copy-ninja, what're you to expect Great Green Beast?" She said, and Guy regained his composure, taking her hand and kissing it. "Um…"

"Your youth inspires me to do better, I will kill fifty opponents the next time Konoha is invaded!" He made the 'Good-Guy pose', and ran off. "But I must do fifty laps around Konoha to prepare myself!"

"Baka." She ran off after him, muttering half to herself. "I'm not even _supposed_ to be here _anyway _and he's having me chase him all over the village…"

Weasel good-naturedly chuckled with Kakashi, and the pair went up to confront the Suna-nin that had surrendered.

"Do you think our charge* and your other two will do alright against them?" She asked him, and Kakashi nodded, pulling out his Icha Icha Tactics.

Shaking her head at the familiar action, she set her attention on the remaining Suna-nin.

* * *

><p>"There's several pursuers… we can't fight them and get to those Sand-nin and Gaara in time." Sasuke said, turning to his companions.<p>

The ninken Paku nodded. "You're right. Someone will have to stay behind."

"That's suicide, which one of us would choose-" Sakura's eyes widened when Shikamaru back flipped, landing several feet behind the rest of them. "Shikamaru, what are you _doing_?"

The group stopped.

With an irritated sigh, he said, "I'll stay. It's not my thing… to offer myself up like this. But…"

"Are you crazy! You'll probably die dattebayo!" Naruto said, looking shocked anyone would willingly make themselves a sacrifice, especially him.

He shrugged, then began to go in the opposite direction. "Just keep going; Konoha needs you!"

The others nodded and continued on without him.

'Now… I _have to_ fight.' Shikamaru thought, readying himself.

Several stealthy detections and moves later, he had the whole group of pursuers trapped in his Shadow-Possession Jutsu.

"But… how?" Some yelled. "You're just a kid!"

**"Eh… I was known as the Number One Lazy Ninja." He said curtly, standing and waiting for the Jutsu to wear out. "But I think that now, my personalities' a little different this time."

Waiting, he held out his kunai, now prepared to fight for his people.

'I wanted to marry a woman that wasn't too pretty or two ugly,' He thought. 'Two kids… the first one a girl, then a boy. I would retire when my daughter was married and my son had become a fine Shinobi, but…'

The shadow flickered and disconnected from the group. His grip tightened on his kunai, the memory of his training with Temari and their 'final battle' playing in his mind.

'I guess if I die tonight… It will be as a true Shinobi, and not a lazy one.'

Before he could begin his last stand, a kunai shot into the group, and then the action was so fast all Shikamaru could see was a blur. With relief, he collapsed against the tree, submitting to his exhaustion.

"Looked like you needed help," Asuma said when the fight was over. Shikamaru just smiled a little bit, relieved.

* * *

><p>"I hope he'll be alright," Sakura said, the four drawing nearer to the retreating Sand ninja.<p>

"Shikamaru may be lazy, but he should make it out alright, datteba-"

A kunai shot past Naruto's head and imbedded itself deeply into a tree truck. With the grinding sound of wooden gears and joints, Kankuro appeared, attacking them.

"I'll take care of him," Sasuke said, pulling out a kunai. "You go ahead, this'll be quick."

As the three continued on, unease seeped into the air, Sakura was the first to speak.

"First Shikamaru… now Sasuke…" She said.

Squaring off and about to attack, Kankuro and Sasuke stopped in surprise when a swarm of bugs separated them. Appearing in the swarm, Shino nodded to Sasuke.

"Go, my fight is with him." Shino said.

Sasuke nodded and turned away, going after his friends.

"Now, we shall begin what should have been in the arena," Shino raised his arms, the swarm going after Kankuro. "My bugs will seek you out, find you, and I defeat you."

Meanwhile, Sasuke and the remaining three reached Temari, Kiritsu, and Gaara. When Kiritsu looked back, she winced at the betrayed look in Naruto's eyes.

"I thought you were my _friend_!" Naruto yelled at her, anger turning his eyes a reddish-blue. "Why are you _doing _this?"

Her eyes narrowed, briefly looking down in shame. 'I can't do this anymore…'

Taking out a kunai, she sliced the bandages almost fully off her arms, cutting them in the process. Blood dripping from the cuts, she ran at Naruto. In his anger, he lunged at her. That turned into a mistake when she grabbed him and slashed his arm, bandaging their cuts together.* As their blood mingled, their eyes met, Naruto's an angry Kyuubi red. He wasn't frightened at her strange appearance, but she assumed he hadn't really 'seen' her yet.

"_NARUTO_!" Sakura yelled before she got sent into a tree by Gaara, Sasuke taking on the One-Tail's host. Temari decided Kiritsu could handle herself, and ran for cover.

"What are you… ugg… doing to me?" He demanded, feeling sick from a strange sensation spreading through his body.

Pulling him down to her level, Kiritsu put her lips to his ear. "Naruto, I _need_ your help."

He couldn't quite speak yet, and was resisting the dying urge to throw up. "_Ghn_…"

"Since I'm not a Jinchuuriki…" She swallowed. "I _can't_ stop Gaara or help him the way _you_ can."

"So what?" He managed. "HE… you… God _damnit_! What did you _do_ to me?"

She wrapped the pieces of bandage around her arm, his own wound healing already. He still looked a little weak as he clutched his arm.

"Chakra and blood transfer." She said, helping him to his feet despite his protests. "It was the best I could do to help you…"

"_Help me?_"

"_Look_," She gestured to Sasuke, who was now fighting the half-aware form of Shukaku. "I've fought Gaara when he's like this. Sasuke's _not _going to make it much longer, and _you'll have to _finish it."

"What am _I _supposed to do? If Sasuke _can't_ beat him-"

"I'm… going to help." She sounded as ashamed as her expression suggested. "I gave you some of my chakra… and you gave me a link into the Kyuubi and your other abilities in the blood-swapping process… I'm essentially part Nine-Tails Jinchuuriki now."

"What does that mean?" He said, confused.

Sasuke's Chidori failed, and he was sent into a tree, passing out. Shukaku's heavy panting got worse, and Sakura was going to get crushed if they didn't do something fast.

*Kiritsu's 'normal' blue eye changed, resembling Naruto's Kyuubi eyes. Ripping the last of the bandages from her face, she revealed the lower half of her face. She now had slight fangs and whisker marks, like Naruto.* He was surprised, but she grabbed his arm and tugged him towards Shukaku/Gaara.

"Kiritsu!" Temari yelled. "What are you doing?"

Kiritsu gave her a hard look. "Because… the Ryuu-shojo*…" She used Jiraiya's name for her with a slight smirk. "Should follow her loyalties to her friends…"

"_**Ryuu-shojo!"**_ The screech came form Gaara/Shukaku, sounding almost surprised, and then he said. _"I should have gone through with killing you years ago! And I'll kill him too!"_

Naruto looked at her with a worried look. "I think… this'll be the fight of our lives, dattebayo."

Kiritsu grinned, looking completely feral. "Just a fight _for_ our lives Naruto, and certainly not the last." *

With a roar, Shukaku attacked.

* * *

><p>Dodging a wave of sand, Kiritsu made a clone* and sent her down to Sasuke and Sakura, watching Naruto fight Shukaku while atop Gambunta.<p>

'_Why_ did Gaara use the Playing Possum Jutsu? _Why?_' She internally screamed, trying to think of a way to help Naruto. She'd never made Gaara try _this_ hard to kill her, and wasn't sure of a plan yet. Then, a crazy idea came to mind.

"Call me a dragon huh?" The original Kiritsu muttered, making hand signs and jumping higher and higher into the trees, using chakra to keep from falling to the ground until she jumped at the two great beasts fighting. "_Transform!_"

Now a small and limbless dragon, she flew over the trees to the boys.

Naruto, who had transformed into Kyuubi with Gambunta earler, was on Shukaku's head. Fighting his way through the sand to Gaara, he prepared to attack.

"Wake the fuck _up_*!"He yelled, pulling back his fist to add momentum to his punch.

Kiritsu winced when she realized how _that_ felt when it made contact, transforming back into herself and landing on Shukaku's head behind Gaara.

"_Fool."_ Gaara said, then made a hand sign. _"DIE!"_

Fed up and really feeling the drain of his chakra, Naruto pulled back his fist again. "_God damnit_!"

Instead of the punch landing, his upper body momentum caused their foreheads to smash together with a sickening crunch. Blood oozed from the point of contact; Naruto's eyes were squeezed shut in pain, and Gaara's eyes seemed to loose color, wide from shock and surprise. Kiritsu began to run over to them, Gambunta collapsing and Shukaku's form dissolving under her feet.

As three began to fall from the great height, Kiritsu realized she was getting low on chakra when she tried to slow her fall. Her features changed back to normal without enough chakra to keep the Kyuubi powers active. Landing on a branch, she ran to where her other clone was and fused them back together, wincing at the sensation of her chakra 'replenishing'.

Unfortunately for her, an angry Sasuke spotted her catching Sakura in her arms as the sand that had been crushing her dispersed, giving her a confused look. "Why did you help Naruto? I thought you were with him, and were our enemy!"

She ignored his questions and walked right up to him, looking up into the older boy's gaze before pulling a kunai out. With a glare, he reached for his leg holster, but she put up her right hand* up in a peaceful gesture.

"I'm not your enemy anymore." She said, taking her kunai to her arm, where several scars over laced and making a new cut. "I willingly helped Naruto for two reasons; one, because the invasion plan failed and there was no point going any further… but the other was selfish. I don't have anything against Konoha…"

"Don't you need to bandage that?" He said sarcastically, pointing to her cut.

Grabbing his hand roughly, she said. "Do you want to regain some chakra or are you going to keep up the rude comments?"

He raised an eyebrow, not trusting the tiny girl.

"Come on, Naruto did this with me, and he won his fight with my help," She urged, rolling her eyes. "He'd be a lot worse off if he hadn't had my help*."

He made an off sound and held out his forearm. "Psh, whatever."

Working to make it as painless as possible (there hadn't been time to do that with Naruto, she'd have to apologize later), she wrapped their arms together tightly and the pair walked down to ground level, Sasuke carrying Sakura.

"_Why?"_ They heard Gaara's confused and strangled voice as he spoke to Naruto, who was slowly pulling his seemingly half-dead body across the ground towards him. _"Why do you help others?"_

Naruto chuckled.

"I protect them because… without them…" He took a deep breath. "I'd be all alone… They care about me and love me… so I protect them so I'll never feel lonely again."

He smiled peacefully, and Gaara's eye widened. _'Love? Is this what Yashamaru meant back then?'_

"..And that girl, Kiritsu." His smile turned more childish. "She seems pretty crazy about you… She'll do anything to help you not suffer anymore…"

While Gaara thought about this, Sasuke and Kiritsu untied the bandage and went to their teammate, Temari and Kankuro arriving seconds later.

"Let's go, you Baka." Sasuke said, lifting Naruto's arm around his other shoulder and supporting his Team as they walked back to the village.

Kankuro gingerly lifted up Gaara and put him on his back, and Kiritsu allowed Temari to carry her in her arms.

As the four left to go and find Baki, they heard Gaara mumble something.

"What was that Gaara?" Kankuro said, and they slowed down to keep the wind out of their ears.

"…_I'm sorry… for everything…"_ Gaara said, and Kankuro nearly dropped him in shock.

"It's okay…" Kankuro said, and him and Temari shared a surprised look as they continued, Kiritsu smiling as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Blah, short chapters are short. Even when you edit them. At least Chapter Eight is a decent length. <strong>

* * *

><p><em>AN: _

_*OMG! Kiritsu's revealed her face! What crazy stuff is going to happen now? _

_*These two are going to be very entertaining, especially when I reveal their identities in chapter nine/ten. In chapter eight (which is a looong chapter) they make a brief appearance. This little section wasn't in the original copy- sorry if it's not as good_

_*The ANBU woman (who will remain under the code name 'Weasel' until further notice, has a special connection to one of Kakashi's students. That significance will be especially important in chapter ten and will not be relevant until then ^_^. Likewise, 'Laughter' has a connection with Guy_

_**… ** : I had to look through AMV after AMV to find the right words for "Shikamaru's Speech", and this is as close as I got. Sigh._

_*Remember this kid of thing happening already? (Wiggles eyebrows) Now we get the explanation to what she did with Kabuto. _

_*….*: Since she's got Naruto's blood and power she can only use 'Naruto attacks', including the Nine-Tails benefits, until she runs out of chakra in a 'Naruto' amount. Then she can no longer use the Kyuubi or Naruto's abilities until she regains that particular chakra. _

_Another example: Since she's done this with Kabuto, she can use all his abilities until she runs out of 'his' chakra amount _

_*A play on Dragon Girl, what Jiraiya called her at the end of chapter four. _

_*I think this would be a good, insightful yet cocky thing for her to say. Unlike her, Naruto really hasn't seen all that much, but will have to learn to live to see it all _

_*Kiritsu's clones are, fortunately or unfortunately, as close to a carbon-copy as you can get… so she receives any of the beating her clones get when she disperses them _

_*Found it said this way in an AMV that contained an uncensored version of the Sub… _

_*Fun fact: Kiritsu is left handed, so any time she's using her 'free hand', it's her right hand-got it? _

_*It's a partial bluff, but Sasuke'll probably take the bait. _


	9. CH Eight: The Afterward

**(A/N) **

**Sorry this took so long! I took one trip over the 26th****-29****th (where my laptop was not allowed)****, and then took another over the 1****st**** to the 5****th****… and I didn't have any way to upload on either of the trips ****L**

**Hopefully the length and content will make up for it… It's long chapter that covers a lot.**

**Chapter Eight: The Afterward **

With a groan, Naruto rolled over in his hospital bed, opening a sleepy eyes to close them again immediately in response to the bright daylight, covering his face with the blanket. He groaned again, this time in discomfort.

"Hey you," A familiar voice half-whistled. "Are you waking up for real this time or do I have to turn away your admirers?"

Keeping his eyes shut, he rolled in the direction of the voice, eyes still shut. "Kiritsu?"

"The one and only." She smiled under the bandages that covered almost all over her face, only revealing her blue eye. "Hey Pervy Sage, he's awake."

"Good. I'll talk to him once he's got food in him." The aging Sage said, ruffling Kiritsu's hair as he went out the hospital room door. "I've got to help prepare for the funeral after all."

She nodded soberly, grabbing the half-cooled bowl of ramen from the bedside table. "I just came back from Ichiraku's… and thought you'd like some."

He eagerly reached out, and she laughed as she handed him the bowl, watching him eat like a starving man.

Finished a few seconds later, he looked at her. "So, who died?"

Her mood fell again. "Well… I'll just say that Suna and Konoha have lost their deeply respected Kage's to Orochimaru."

"What! The Old Man was taken down by that creep!"

"Orochimaru _also_ killed Kazekage-sama Naruto."

His jaw went slack. "No way, Gaara's dad is…"

"Yeah." She sighed, hearing Gaara shift in his bed on the other side of the dividing curtain. He could hear everything.

"Was he really all that bad?" Naruto said quietly. "Gaara told me about the… assassins that were sent on him by his dad, dattebayo."

"That all ended before I was taken in… but that's no longer important." She lightly punched his shoulder. "Thanks for everything Noodle Brains, I have some people to see before I go home."

"Aw, you're leaving?" He grumbled, and she smiled. "I really wanted to spend some more time with you and Gaara, dattebayo."

"If you get healed up soon enough, I might be able to pull something together." Her smile held until the door was shut, vanishing as she walked down the hall. '_If_ I still have friends here besides the Team Seven boys by tomorrow…'

Sensing chakras with a familiar flare, she turned down the hall to see Temari and Kankuro heading her way.

"Baki is telling the ANBU all the details of the alliance with Orochimaru." Kankuro said, eyes on the floor and his hands in his pockets, a sign something was bothering him. "We'll probably be here until the end of next week so the adults can fix all the political crap."

"That's good news." Kiritsu said, grabbing one of their hands each and walking between them, voice lowered. "Now you can apologize to your friends."

"She'd try to kill me*." Kankuro said, jaw set with unease in the way he held himself. "I don't want to see that Little Leaf's face… for once."

Kiritsu groaned.

"Shikamaru's probably just deiced I was toying with him to make it hard for him to attack me or something… I'd assume that if I was in his shoes." Temari bit her lip and played with the smaller-scale version of her battle fan. "Even though it isn't true. He'd an impressive kid."

"Don't tell me you've fallen for the 'Lazy Leaf'." He said, raising his eyebrows at his sister. She didn't answer at first.

"Like you're one to talk Niichan." Kiritsu released them and crossed her arms over her chest with disapproval. "Now; _both_ of you suck it up like the ninja's you are and go talk to-"*

She cut off when she sensed two shadows move. Two Leaf ANBU appeared, and one held a scroll.

"Kiritsu Sabaku?" The other asked, and she nodded, receiving the scroll. "You have been summoned by Jiraiya-sama to meet this afternoon."

Quickly scanning the scroll, she nodded. "Thank you."

When they disappeared, she gave her siblings a pointed look and ran off.

* * *

><p>"Jiraiya-Ero," She said, watching the man when she reached the pools by the bath house. "You'd better not be using me as an excuse to watch the ladies undress."<p>

He gave her a slightly irritated look before smiling and ruffling her hair. "I actually summoned you for something important."

Though it went unseen, she raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

With a groan, he rolled his shoulders. "Those stuck-up elders want me to become Hokage. They say I'm the only one for the job…"

She kept a straight face for about two seconds… and to his disapproval, erupted into giggles. "Oh Kami… they'd last for two days…" *

"_Hey_! I could do it." He sighed. "I just don't want to. I'm not motivated enough to rule the village."

"Damn straight." She nodded seriously, crossing her arms over her chest. "So… there's someone you've suggested then?"

"The only other Sanin left."

Her jaw went a little slack. _"Tsunade?"_

"Yeah… I know it's a long shot. If you've studied Konoha's history, you'll get where I'm stuck."

Quiet.

"As a matter of fact, the histories of all the Nations interested me, so I've learned as much as I can."* She shrugged. "I'm guessing you and Naruto're going to get her then."

He raised an eyebrow. "You sure you're only ten? You've got more sense than those damn elders, and seem almost as keen as Kakashi."

A shrug. "So when are you two leaving?"

"After lunch. That kid does nothing without a full stomach." He grumbled, picking up his scrolls and leaving.

"True." She stood and followed him. "Be back quick though, I want to spend time with Noodle Brains before we go back to Suna in two weeks." *

"I'll try my best."

She nodded to herself and absentmindedly began to walk back to the hotel… to run into Shikamaru.

The two stared at each other for what seemed like a long time, sizing each other up. She dropped her guard down first; there was no reason for him to attack her. Physically, anyway.

"I've been wondering if you were still in the village, since your Sensei is the temporary leader of Suna,*" He said, his stance a hint off of being comfortable.

"Yep…" She stuffed her hands in her pockets. "So…"

"This is too troublesome." He said after her pause. "I'll treat you to ramen."

She raised an eyebrow. "Okay."

Thank Kami they were both comfortable with silence, or they'd both go crazy during the walk to Ichiraku's. Once seated, Shikamaru made an off motion with his hand, the girl that worked there* happily taking with Naruto before and after she handed the pair their meal.

"You're the least troublesome person I've met… in a way." He said as she began eating, a grin on her face at the comment. "You're powerful and wise for a ninja, and seem to blur the lines to attain peace."

"So you forgive the Sand." It wasn't a question.

"Yes." There was more to his answer.

"Well, I'm not the only Suna-nin that needs to know they're forgiven."

He groaned. "You can't just relay the message?"

A smirk that was almost visible crossed her face. "Nope."

"Damn pain _you_ turned out to be."

"Takes one to know one." She slurped a noodle. "Now go before I tell everyone _exactly_ how you lost some of those sparring sessions."

He grumbled incoherently and walked off, hands in his pockets. *

"Hey Sis," Naruto said, turning to her, confused at her amusement and Shikamaru's bad temper. "_Why's_ he so ticked?"

The server looked absentmindedly at the counter and spoke at the same time as Kiritsu. "He's lovesick as a Lazy-Ass can be."

"_Nani?"_

* * *

><p>The next day, Neji and TenTen were having lunch at Ichiraku's, sweaty from their afternoon training session.<p>

"… At least I've managed to get past the 64-Palms in close combat." TenTen said smugly, blushing with pride and shame. The shame was from the person that had helped her become able to beat him. "After lunch I'll show you something new I've…"

She trailed off, lighthearted look changing to an angry and hurt one, narrowed eyes focusing on an approaching figure.

Looking more uneasy than he'd ever been before, Kankuro walked closer to the pair. Neji, having been told most of the story, glared at him. Taking no notice of the angered Hyuuga, he stopped a few feet from them.

"…Hey." He finally said, unsure what to say next.

**Slowly, TenTen stood and walked up to him, face unreadable. The looked at each other a minute, but when he read the intention that flashed in her eyes he attempted to speak, becoming unable when she landed a solid punch in his gut. Leaning over, he received another hit, this time in the jaw, that sent him to the ground. Holding his face, only heavy breathing was his reaction, willing his fighting instinct back.

He wasn't a baby, he'd suck it up like a proper man _and_ ninja to take the beating he'd earned.

"You _jerk_! _Why? Why_ did you just _lie_? _To ME!_" She kicked his legs and continued the beating as she yelled, her anger releasing all at once.

Now he winced, the words hurting more than the wounds, fighting himself a bit more to wait her anger out.

Her anger began to dissipate, but her attacks didn't loose their forcefulness for a few more minutes, when she finally stopped.

"Why aren't you fighting back?" She said, her fist inches from his face. 'He… he _always_ fights back and beats the living crap out of me.' **

'Glad that's over… Now I get to give the apology speech. This "being the good guy" stuff really stinks.' Kankuro thought, rubbing his face and blushing slightly. "I'm sorry TenTen."

The look on her face was priceless. First it was confused, then livid, then finally astonished, a blush crossing her cheeks.

"You… you…" She couldn't make her brain function fast enough. "Said my real name… and… _apologized_!"

Neji gave the pair a confused look, unsure of what to do, and Kankuro smirked. "I know. And-"

"I… you…" She shifted her feet, uncertain. "Do you want to join us?"

Noting Neji's distrust, he shrugged. "If it means you forgive me… sure. Why the Hell not?"

Neji gave her the 'You sure?' look, and didn't argue when she nodded. 'You've never been steered wrong by her judgment before… _When_ has she steered you wrong?'

Sensing the tension between the two boys, TenTen choose to sit between them, giving worried looks. Kankuro gave off an air of relaxation (though he was still sore from the beating she gave him), but Neji was another story. Between distrustful glances and strained smiles, he'd reach his limit sooner than later.

"I don't want to interrupt your conversation." Neji said smoothly, cutting off Kankuro, and TenTen turned to him. He ignored the dirty look he received from the other boy. "But since you did _so well_ in the Exams, you must come from a good family or have a _very_ good Sensei. Who-"

"My teammates are my siblings-even though Kiritsu is _technically_ Baki-Sensei's adoptive daughter." Kankuro rolled his eyes, then muttered something about a doll under his breath. "But my dad is -_was_- the Yondaime Kazekage."

"And your mother?" He was mildly curious about his puppet and chakra control affinity's source.

"Died. Twelve years ago."

_That_ surprised him.

"Interesting." Neji deadpanned.

Kankuro's gaze went sharp. "What's so _damn_ interesting?"

"_Kankuro_…" TenTen grabbed his forearm. "Neji was just thinking about how you have something in common."

"It's a Shinobi world." He muttered, disgruntled but not moving from her touch. "Being an orphan isn't _abnormal_."

"Hm… Are you finished with your meal?" Neji pulled out some money. 'The Suna prince is _her_ friend, so it would be polite to pay out of respect for her.' '

"Yeah…" He shrugged, and she slowly let go of his arm. "Um…"

Sighing because he knew what was bugging her, he nodded. "You can ask him." 'I am curious at how he got her closer to beating me than ever before.'

Because of his high stress level during the meal, Kankuro jumped when TenTen tapped on his shoulder. "Do you want to come with us and show off?"

His smirk was cat-like. "Sure."

* * *

><p>"Are you in any pain?" Kiritsu asked, running her finger up the scar that wound the length of the arm she was holding in her other hand. "That Jutsu is incomplete and really complicated… I might not have been careful en-"<p>

"Hn." Sasuke cracked his eyes open briefly. "It's fine."

"_Still_…" She gave him a dirty look, her visible eye flashing the Sharingan for a second. "I can tell something's wrong. Your chakra's been bouncing around a lot."

He sighed. 'This is going to get _annoying_.' "I just can't believe the dube is so much stronger than me."

She frowned. "That's out of his _hands_ Sasuke, and you're strong too!"

"Not as strong as him." He muttered.

'He's… _sulking_.' She sweat-dropped. She touched his arm again. "Sasuke…"

A frowned. "Leave me alone. Don't you have someone else to bother, like Shikamaru?"

"That's Temari's job. Niisan is training with TenTen to annoy Neji." She smirked, then the happiness faltered. "Gaara's been resting up in the apartment, and I'm not sure if I should go see him yet…"

"…Annoying…"

"_Strange_. Shikamaru says the same thing."

Silence.

"So…" SHe rubbed her shoulder. "I guess I should leave…"

He raised an eyebrow. 'She doesn't give up that easily…'

A smirk as she leaned back in her seat. "I don't want your pathetic gang of fan girls to try and jump me after all."

Giving her a confused look, he said, "You're only _ten_."

"But not an _idiot_. There will be hordes of girls willing to fight me for Sas-Uke's* 'love'…" She rolled her eyes, voice dripping with sarcasm, standing. "Just let me give you some good advice."

"Hn."

~"Someone who's born with power but does not desire what they are given is the lesser man than the one who is born weak and earns his power rightfully." She shrugged. "And believe me, there is no worse hate than hate without a face."~

He sat up in bed. "I don't… understand _you_."

"I've heard that one before." She messed with her own hair. "But let's put it this way; I understand what you're coming from with this whole power thing… I've heard about your brother."

Something she'd said caught up with him. "Wait… Who do you hate? Who do you have to avenge?"

'And just as I'm about to leave, I have his undivided attention.' She smiled a little. "Whoever the person is, I'm going to keep my anger in check before I decide to kill them."

"Who? And why wouldn't you-"

'And who was _he _calling annoying?' She thought, holding up a hand to cut him off. "I don't know their identity… but the person that turned me into this ugly freak and took away my real family is 'that person'* in my life."

"Power like yours isn't ugly."

"Not having any answers as to why your limits and powers are this way… it's not pretty to me." She said, glad her bandages hid her slight blush. 'Did he just call me pretty in a weird way?' "I'll leave you to rest now."

"Hn." He smirked. "_Finally_."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that because you're already in a weakened state. Next time, you'll get in."

He could tell she wasn't bluffing, and watched her leave with amusement, their conversation replaying in his mind.

Stepping outside, she sighed, putting her hands on her hips. Walking to the village gates, her self-assigned mission now was to ask either Genma, Kotetzu, or Izumo if Naruto had arrived yet. Time was almost up- If Tsunade didn't show, Baki was ready to take their group back to Suna tomorrow.

"That old perv better not be slacking…" She muttered, only a block from the gates. "Now, how much further-"

"Kiri-chan!" Naruto yelled, running up to the girl and glomping her, squeezing her half to death. "You'll _never_ guess what I did!"

'I won't be able to if I can't breathe!' She thought sarcastically, trying to wiggle free with no results.

"Choking… not breathing…" She muttered, pressing the pressure points on his wrists to _make_ him let go. He made a complaining noise. "You can tell me later Noodle-Brained baka, where's-"

Turning, her partial vision was filled with the sight of Tsunade, and noted she liked the impressive figure the woman set already.

'And with those jugs on her…' She smirked, holding out a hand in greeting. 'I can't believe she's _fifty_…'

* * *

><p>"Aren't we leaving Konoha Daddy?" Kiritsu said, following Baki to the Hokage Tower. "I mean… I'm really going to miss this place, but there's nowhere like-"<p>

"You have been summoned to the Godaime Hokage's office." He replied flatly. "Last-minute before we leave."

"Okay…" Sensing that this was important, she decided to keep quiet, eyes drooping in boredom.

"Don't fall asleep on me, this is the Hokage you're going to see!"

"Baasama'll forgive me…" SHe began to dose off, grabbing Baki's arm to keep herself upright.

Giving her an aghast look, he lifted her up and put her on his shoulders. She wrapped her arms around his head and got comfortable, asleep in seconds.

'I'll kill anyone who sees…' He thought to himself mildly, not noticing that every woman he passed (civilian and ninja alike) 'awed' and began to comment to each other on how such a _tough Jonin_ could be such a _sweet hearted_ man.*

Once inside the building, he poked her in the sides of her torso, getting the expected sudden chokehold from her legs. Once fully awake, she released him from her strangling legs, and slapped him upside the head.

"_Daddy!_" She complained. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?"

"You looked exhausted, and I _really_ don't think you want to be dosing off during _this_."

Her jaw nearly unhinged from surprise, a gap forming in the bandages to reveal her mouth. "Then what's so _important_!"

He didn't answer her, and when the were inside the office, she saw several Jonin and ANBU talking with Tsunade. To her surprise, Shikamaru was there.

"What're _you_ doing here Lazy Bones?" She hissed, and he shrugged.

"Nara Shikamaru, Sabaku no Kiritsu." Tsunade said, smiling at the pair. "Even though the competition was never completed, it was a unanimous vote for the pair of you. You two are now officially…"

* * *

><p>"…Chuunin!" Kankuro's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head, causing TenTen and Kiritsu to giggle.<p>

IT had been an hour since she'd been given the news herself, and she hadn't been able to tell all her Konoha friends before they left.

"Gaara's not going to be… _mad_ about this, is he?" TenTen said with uncertainty.

"I'm sure it's going to be fine." Kankuro said, then gave Kiritsu a pointed look. "Go and tell anyone that's left, I'll meet you and the others at the gate."

She smirked and walked away, Chuunin vest hidden from behind by her hair. 'I'll leave them to their goodbyes…'

Rubbing the back of his head, Kankuro smirked at nothing in particular. "I guess this is goodbye for now Little Leaf… I'm going to be stuck with her until a mission comes up."

"Will you visit?" She asked, giving him a curious look. 'He's not the caring type…' "I mean, its been fun being able to beat Neji and mess with him together."

He gave her a _confused_ look. "You _want_ me to?"

"Eh, why the Hell not?" She said, quoting him. "It's not like you have anyone else to hang out with…" 'And you've gotten me to see past my hopeless crush on Neji.'

She grinned at his halfhearted glare. "_Pft_… whatever."

"I'll see you when I see you then." She played with her headband tails, flushing with excitement, unsure how to say goodbye. All of her friends had usually never truly left her before now. "It's been great… aside from the whole 'trying to take over your village' thing…"

"Yeah…" He took one of his hands out of his pockets and used it to brace himself against the wall next to her, leaning in front of her. She could see a slight blush creeping across his cheeks, and was confused as to why either of them were blushing.

'What is this feeling? Is it like how Hinata is around…' She cut off the thought, a little peeved. "_What_ do you think you're _doing_?"

There was a thoughtful look on his face. "Deciding…" He finally murmured, getting his face too close to hers for comfort.

'Wha..? Is Kankuro going to-'

He kissed her forehead*, and quickly began to walk away. Seeing his smirk, she heard him call out, "See you again Little Leaf!"

She touched her forehead in surprise, and saw purple on her fingertips when she pulled them away. "That sand-ass _jerk_!"

Meanwhile, Shikamaru was waiting in a certain clearing* of the Nara Forrest, getting sleepy.

He yawned. "What a _drag_. Troublesome woman… always late-"

"I'm not _late_." Temari walked into the clearing, a smirk on her face. "You're just _early_. Are you itching to get tied up again one last time before I go?"

"Far from it." He frowned at the comment, but knew she was just teasing. Fighting was her passion after all. "I wanted to get this all off my chest before you left."

"Fire away, I don't have to leave for another hour…" She imbedded her fan in the ground, leaning against it like a chair back.

He groaned and sat against a tree across from her. "I just was wondering if you wanted to keep in contact is all… and I was curious to see what _you_ act like _lazy_."

With a smirk, she spun around and stretched across his stomach, causing him to lay flat on the ground in surprise. Grinning at the look he gave her, she said, "I just… When I'm off a mission and am left alone in my room… I'm willing to lay around and take care of my flowers."

"That makes absolutely no sense, yet does in a strange way." He muttered. 'Thank Kami for sarcasm.'

Any harshness in her diminished, and she changed the subject. "I can still take you on, even though you're a Chuunin now."

"Eh, dream on." He smirked. "And you can get off any time you know."

Sticking off her tongue, her expression was playful. "What if I _don't_ want to?"

Momentarily stunned, he didn't have any comeback at hand. "…Troublesome…"

Grabbing the collar of his vest, pulled him closer to her face, moving down to his lap to ease him into the new position. "My name is Sabaku no Temari, _not_ troublesome."

Truth be told, he was unusually clustered by the new arrangement they were in, but kept his guard up and rolled his eyes. "I know _that_, troublesome-"

She hit him on the head. "Idiot."

"Why do I even bother!" He said, angry. "It's such a pa-"

Fed up and unable to think of anything else, she spun him around below her, straddling his hips and using her hands to hold herself up. His face turned red, and glared at her, confused and angry.

"This is why you bother…" She murmured quietly, kissing him on the cheek* before disappearing in a breeze.

He laid on the ground in a daze, realization crossing his face. 'A _clone_. She's… _troublesome_ alright.'

* * *

><p>Choji began to choke on the BBQ he'd been chewing, and Kiritsu spit up her drink on Kakashi. More like sprayed him with the liquid, but she was too busy dislodging the meat from the boy's throat to apologize right away.<p>

"She did _what_?" Kiritsu managed, saying what several of the others were thinking.

Shikamaru turned an angry shade of red and began to mutter to himself, rapping his fingers on the table, avoiding the gazes of his expectant audience.

Once Choji's life was no longer in jeopardy, Kiritsu shrugged and walked over to Kakashi. "Sorry about that… and thanks for the address. I'll write as often as I can."

"Same here… when I have the time." Kakashi said with a happy eye crease, and chuckled at her angry expression. 'Where have I seen that expression before?'*

"I guess I'll see you all as soon as I can." She smiled under the bandages and stuck her hands in her pockets, walking out. "I'll write."

Once a good distance away, she began running and performing a victory dance, punching the air. 'It worked it worked it worked it-'

She tripped over her own tow feet and went flying, being caught by a blanket of sand. "…Gaara?"

His face was blank as he walked towards her at a casual pace, letting her down to the ground beside him. _"You were running late."_

"Thanks for catching me." She smiled and held out a hand to him. "Let's hurry up so Daddy doesn't get impatient."

Confusion crossed his features as he watched her hand, but he didn't attack when she sighed like a patient teacher and grabbed his arm, pulling him along with her as they walked to the gate.

"_I'm… I'm going to __**try**__ to be like Naruto."_ He said, eyes uneasy, and she smiled at him. _"That baka… he's given me __**hope**__ that one day no one will see me as a monster."_

Her smile widened, and she whispered. "You _will_ be as good as him to people."

"_Then… I shall adopt one of his goals as well."_ The slightest hint of happiness crossed his face. _"I'll live to protect my friends and village as the Godaime Kazekage. Will you…help me?"_

"Of _course_ Gaara-kun." She said affectionately, holding his arm tight.

* * *

><p>Looking out her bedroom window in Suna, she smiled at the sunrise, ready to write with the pen in her hand on the scroll in front of her. She'd been so happy Gaara'd arranged for her to get a desk in her room, or her promise to write letters to her friends would've been difficult.<p>

"It's been about a month Kakashi-Jonin." She said to herself, playing with the pen between her fingers, looking at the twin sealed scrolls to the side of the blank one. "I'd better send the letter for Sas-uke with Kakashi's-"

There was a purple and yellow cloud of smoke, a snake appearing and turning into a scroll, Kabuto's kanji on the seal.

'I've been waiting a _week_ for your response. Damn _four-eyes_.' She thought, plugging her nose with one hand while using the other to have her fan direct the smell out the window. 'Now I have _another_ letter to write…'

"_Kiritsu…-chan."_ Gaara's voice was heard on the other side of the door. She hid her letter from Kabuto quickly. _"May I come in?"_

"Yep," She said, brushing off her front. Since she was off-duty and it was hotter than Hell inside, only her forearms and across her nose covered in bandages, and she was wearing a fishnet midriff shirt instead of her usual one.

He warily stepped in, leaving the door wide open behind him. _"Get your vest and other bandages on… the council has called us into a meeting."_

"What do those old farts want?" She did as he asked, adding her hat with her forehead protector on it for good measure.

"_No clue_." He deadpanned, though understanding crossed his features. He didn't care for the Elders either.

"Secretive, as _usual_…" She yawned, and the pair walked out. "I wonder what they're going to try to pull on us."

He shrugged, and rubbed his tattoo with an irritated expression. Shukaku was bothering him.

'He's been trying so hard, don't make it worse for him Shukaku…' She thought, angry, another yawn slipping from between her covered lips.

They reached the council room fairly quickly (having snuck into the room on several occasions as children), and were surprised to see several angered Jonin and ANBU there as well. Kankuro, Temari, and Baki saw them, and Temari waved them over.

"Do you know what this is all about?" Kiritsu whispered just loud enough for them to hear.

Kankuro picked her up and placed her on his shoulders. "They were saying 'reform' and 'new ninja training' a lot. Does that help?"

"_No_. Being vague does _not_." She pulled his hair.

"_Ow_**.**"

Temari smiled at the exchange before going serious. "They're going to try to remodel the ninja academy after Konoha's, since our failure to take them down…"

Seeing Kiritsu's exited look, she frowned, and continued. "But the Elders aren't hearing it. They need a _Kazekage_ to help them decided, the jerks."

Kiritsu's visible eye narrowed. "That's… pretty much stupid. Trying to simply stock up on only highly skilled ninja and leaving the weaker ones in the dust… That's a quick and disastrous downfall for crying out loud!"

All the adults had heard her, and now were angrily murmuring to each other.

"What would _you_ know kid." An ANBU woman scoffed.

"A child that became a Chuunin _before _her older and more experienced Teammates." Baki said loudly, his tone commanding. The room went silent. "Her point is the same as mine. Why _shouldn't_ we train all available ninja to the fullest? It would higher our military strength and income from ninja work."

The Jonin and several ANBU nodded, the remaining wavering.

"That has _never_ been our tradition!" One man managed.

'And look where _that_ tradition got us.' Kiritsu thought. It was clear some of the others felt the same.

Clearly _no one _is skilled enough right now-"

"The late Kazekage's youngest son and Baki's girl are _fully_ capable."

Everyone froze and turned to the doorway, where the Honorable Siblings were standing.

"Pardon?" An ANBU said.

"Kiritsu-san and Gaara-san are both strong enough to lead this country and have the strength to protect it." Ebizo said.

"But you can have only _one_ Kazekage, and they're just _kids_! Why-"

Shocking everyone, Gaara held up his arm. _"It would be my __**honor**__ to serve Suna."_

Granny Chiyo cackled and clapped her hands together. "What have you got to offer boy?"

As usual, his face betrayed no emotion. _"How did my father say it… 'Serving the people of their village is a Kage's job, no matter what village they are in.' Even though I was chained with the title of the Byuui's Jinchuuriki before birth, I owe this village my life, and am determined to make this village a better place. Starting with this present issue of training ninja… If you'll have me."_

"Spoken like the son of a Kage alright!" Chiyo smirked. "You've got a lot of work ahead of you."

"Gaara-_sama_." One of the Elders from across the room said. "What will be your first step in gaining the favor of the people of Suna?"

Blinking once, he turned to Kiritsu, and she could read the question on his eyes. 'What do I say?'

Climbing down from Kankuro's shoulders, she landed next to Gaara and grabbed his hand, squeezing it in encouragement.

"_My siblings, Kiritsu, and I will assist training the ninja academy students in a new training method for the time being… until suitable teachers are chosen."_ He said.

There were mutters of approval and agreement.

"That sounds… reasonable." Another Elder said, slightly distrustful.

A bit more confident, Gaara continued. _"We'll send out notices through ANBU and messenger hawk. I expect that this could take a month to circulate through the village, so put a date for the first class around that time."_

"Of course, Gaara-_sama_." The head Elder said, and the people dispersed with their orders, the meeting adjourned. Only the Siblings, Kiritsu, and Baki stayed.

Under her bandages, Kiritsu beamed, hugging Gaara tightly and without warning. "You- you're going to be the Kazekage Gaara-kun!"

While the others were mildly surprised, the two remaining siblings respected their brother even more than they had recently.

"Let's get out of here you two." Kankuro said, smirking, hands in his pockets. "The old hags have been stressed enough- I don't think they need to worry about their Kazekage-to-be murdering somebody."

Gaara rolled his eyes at the joke, but Kiritsu released him anyway.

* * *

><p>With a relieved and accomplished sigh, Kiritsu watched the message hawk fly across the night sky towards Kakashi's home in Konoha.<p>

'Now…' She thought, her stomach turning in anticipation and anxiety. 'Kabuto's letter.'

Breaking the seal, she skipped over his overly-polite greeting and looked for what she wanted to find, eyes widening.

It was… _unexpected_… but informative in the least.

'We (Orochimaru-sama and I) are sending the Sound Four to pick up Sasuke any day now.' She read. 'Orochimaru-sama needs his new body as soon as possible, and after all, the Uchiha is the perfect choice. Don't think that you can prevent this, or that I'll stop writing you. I think I can remember you, even though I would have been quite young then. The details will be coming back to me slowly, but I promise to fulfill my end of the bargain. I think your family was somehow involved with Orochimaru-sama in the early days… I hope you are in good health-'

She furiously put down the letter and began to write two short messages, hoping Tsunade would get her letter in time. Making several hand seals, she sent the transformed letter through the window (a bird), and began writing a letter for Kabuto. Once finished with that, she sent it through the window as a snake.

"Sasuke's in a weak emotional state right now…" She muttered, leaning out of her window, relaxed in her alcove seat. "I hope my letter…" *yawn* "Gets to them… in.. time…"

Exhausted, she passed out right there, leaning heavily on the window frame.

Later that night, Gaara was on one of his nightly walks, and noticed what position she was in through the open doorframe.

'_She'll be uncomfortable if she sleeps like that.'_ He noticed, rubbing his tattoo to suppress a Shukaku-influenced headache. _'I'll get Kankuro…'_*

He left, returning with a cranky yet sympathetic brother a few minutes later. Kankuro carefully lifted Kiritsu into his arms and moved her to her bed, tucking her in.

As the brothers left the room, Kankuro rubbed his neck awkwardly. "You've been doing _great_ you know."

Gaara smiled a little. _"Thank you."_

* * *

><p><em>AN: _

_* Yes Kankuro, you've just said your first intelligent line in this fic. Congrats. TenTen _may_ just try to kill you now for that comment _

_* I just had to have Kiritsu call them out. If you're too chicken to talk to somebody, than you aren't that much of a ninja. _

_* That was probably most fan's reactions to Jiraiya being offered to become Hokage… XD _

_* Stats: Kiritsu's hobbies are studying history and bothering people she's close to about their friendships. _

_* This is how long I've figured the Finding Tsunade arc takes place. (It took one week from the time they found her to the time they fought Kabuto and Orochimaru, and it probably was only a few days of travel between the town and Konoha) _

_* Since Baki is the closest advisor to the Kazekage in this fic (he may have been, who knows), he was appointed the temporary leader until the village had time to pick a new Kazekage. Leaving The Sand Siblings and his ward with him in Konoha_

_* Hama-Tsu has lines! Lines _and_ action! _

_* I've never been a really big fan of pairing Shikamaru up with anyone but cannon characters, and probably never will be, but I love the dynamics of his relationship with Kiritsu; their similarities get under his skin and she knows it and abuses it. _

_**…**: I love angry TenTen. Especially here. It may seem a little OOC for her to react like this, but when your first crush ignores you, it's not that hard to forgive. But when the first guy that acknowledges you 'betrays' you, that has a much deeper reaction. And when they come back around, of course she'll hate them a little… until something unexpected happens. Then the hate goes downhill :D _

_* Kiritsu will be commonly be calling Sasuke 'Uke' because of her enjoyment of embarrassing people __J_

_~…~: In the Harry Potter books, Dumbledore says something similar. 1)Naruto is weak but earns more power = good. Now Sasuke, he is the one who desires more power than what he's born with the potential to get, which is bad in her opinion. 2) Kiritsu's second line: Hating somebody is all the more aggravating when you don't know who they are. _

_*Sasuke refers to Itachi as 'that person' during most of Pre-Shippuden, and I'm assuming Kiritsu has heard this phrasing from either Kakashi or Naruto. No I am not making Kiritsu a Sasuke 'clone' in doing this; her objectives and plans are entirely different. _

_*Poor, _poor_ Baki (insert evil laugh here) _

_* Kankuro's still too easygoing and playful to really go for a full-blown kiss. TenTen got all worked up over nothing, and I am evil to any NejiTen and KankuTen readers of this fic._

_*Where Shikamaru was found tied up in chapter four _

_*The Sand Siblings seem to have no trouble making the first move, but committing to any real physical affection seems to be difficult. Their lack of love from parents is taking a toll. _

_* That very expression can be viewed on one of your friends Kakashi, you just don't realize it yet. _

_* I decided that Gaara didn't trust himself to be able to carry Kiritsu yet. Their height difference is less than a foot, but he's still mentally affected by Shukaku, and doesn't want to hurt her. _


	10. CH Nine: Saving Someone Precious

**I am pleased to inform you that 'The Other Daughter' arc of Kiritsu's story has only one chapter left before the 'Time-Skip Travels' arc, which will be chapters 11-15, then the remaining chapters of Kiritsu and the Gang's story will be in the 'What Daughters Know' arc. **

**However, some of you Sasuke-haters will probably not like me for this chapter... Or like me very much. Fair warning, this chapter is the 'Sasuke Retrieval Arc' from the Manga/Anime. I skipped through the Sasuke VS Naruto fight when watching the anime, but have watched some AMVS and have a guess as to what happens.**

**This one actually has a song: Saving Me (Nickelback)/ Need To Be Strong (Naruto OST)/Strong and Strike (Naruto OST)**

**Chapter Nine: Saving Someone Precious **

There was a commotion in the Kazekage building. Translators and messengers ran through the halls, worry on their faces.

"Tsunade… Uchiha… Escaped… need help…" Were the only words a drowsy Kiritsu heard as she walked towards the kitchen.

She froze, awake and alert in an instant. 'I only sent that letter a few days ago…how-'

"Kiritsu, you're squad leader, we need to _go_!" Temari, in her shorter (more Suna-appropriate) mission outfit, ran up to her. "Konoha needs us to help stop Sasuke from-"

Moving faster than usual, she ran to her room and changed into her ninja outfit*, careful to bandage up. Skidding into the main hall, she saw Gaara and Kankuro running too.

"I don't really _like_ the guy… but…" Kankuro muttered. "You're in charge Dooru, what's the plan?"

"Head straight to Konoha's border with the Land of Rice Patties." She said, and they followed her as she ran outside. "I'll lend out chakra and solider pills when they're needed; we aren't going to stop for awhile."

They all nodded, and moved _fast_.

"How long?"

She grimaced. "A day and a half at this speed."

"Do we have enough time?"

"We'd better. We owe Konoha."

Gaara moved up to her side, using his sand to keep up. _"I agree, even though my debt there will never be repaid in full."_

Silence.

For the next countless hours, they went without stopping more than two or three times, eating and drinking as they ran. When the sun began to set, they rested for a few hours.

"We should be getting close…" Kiritsu muttered, sensing a somewhat familiar chakra presence nearby. "Kankuro, you head in that direction. There's someone in heavy combat a long way off, but they need help."

"Glad you think I can handle it." He said, smirking as he unknowingly headed for Kiba's battle with Sakon and Ukon.

The three remaining tightened their formation, moving faster now that the three of them could 'fly' with their speed. It was close to dawn when she sensed another fight.

"Sempai, that way." She pointed in the direction of Shikamaru's fight with Tayuya.

"On it." She was gone with a wave of her fan.

Once Temari was out of eyesight, Kiritsu increased her speed to an almost invisible streak, and Gaara gave her a curious look as he worked to keep up.

'_I don't remember her going this fast before*… I can hardly keep up.'_ He mused.

"There's probably some back-up Sound-nin if the Sound Four were held-up." She said, glad the mission briefing had mentioned them or she'd sound suspicious. "Do you want to stay and handle it, or go on after Sasuke if he's still running?"

His expression stayed the same, but he came to a decision quickly, nodding. _"Stay."_

"Okay." She smiled, sensing the familiar chakra signature that was Lee one hundred meters ahead of them. 'He can start paying off his 'debt' now…' "I'll handle the Uke then."

They were closing in on the clearing, hearing the sounds of a primarily-Taijutsu battle. Bursting through the trees, they saw Lee about to be stabbed through by… bones. Jutsu or Kekkei Genkai-controlled bones.

"LEE!" She yelled, Gaara's sand moving to protect the beaten and bruised Taijutsu Specialist.

"Gaara-san? Kiritsu-chan?" He said, amazed.

"Hi-talk-to-you-later-got-to-beat-up-the-_uke_-bye!*" She shouted, not willing to miss an open opportunity such as this one.

Slicing her arm, bandages loosening, she faced Kimimaru head-on, and he put up his arm to defend himself. Big mistake _that_ turned into when she cut his arm and tied them together, their blood intermingling. When her stomach turned, she knew the transaction was complete, and he threw her off.

Taking the landing with catlike reflexes, she ran after the trail Naruto and Sasuke had left using her full speed.

'Kiritsu-chan is _amazing_!' Lee thought, still confused by Gaara's actions. "Gaara-san, why are you protecting me?"

Staring strictly at his opponent, Gaara deadpanned. _"Suna is the ally of Konoha, and I owe you and your village a lot."_

* * *

><p>"<em>Why<em> godamnit, _why_?" Was the first thing Kiritsu heard as she ran up to Naruto and Sasuke's fight.

_Naruto_ had been the one to yell, she realized with a jolt, feeling his pain through the connection they shared. 'And Sasuke… his aura…'

"I can't learn anything more from your pathetic village." Sasuke said. "You _know_ I have to become stronger so that I can avenge my brother and avenge my clan."

Kiritsu activated a Sharingan in her visible eye. "_Damn_, I'd better get to them _fast_."

Easily spotting the pair fighting, she ran across the river.

"Rasengan!"

"Chidori!"

Her eyes narrowed at the pair, and she decided to try the 'bone' ability. As her bones strengthened and slightly enlarged, she winced in pain, running at the pair. While Sasuke was distracted by Naruto's attack, she kicked him in the hip, swerving out of Naruto's way.

The way Sasuke went flying, a strangled cry coming out from his lips, she could tell she'd quite possibly broken something.

"_Shit_, did I-" Her thought wasn't completed because she was chasing Naruto as he ran up towards his friend.

"It won't really matter as long as we get him home… Baa-chan can fix him up." Naruto managed as he regained his breath, eyes blazing a Kyuubi red. "How did you hit him that hard?"

"The bone-guy back there… gave me his power." She shrugged, wary as Sasuke moved, bringing up chakra to guard her hands. "Get ready."

He coughed and stood, supporting his weight on his left side.

'Good, I didn't break anything… yet.' She saw he'd fully activated his Sharingan.

"I understand why _Naruto_ is following me, but you've got a similar goal to mine!"

"I'm not abandoning _everything_ to fulfill a goal that is _currently_ impossible!" She yelled, ignoring Naruto's surprised look, and fused more chakra into her bones. "And I _never_ said I've decided to kill whomever they are*! Would you rather stay and learn with people _by your side_, or face Itachi _alone_?"

"Yeah!" Naruto yelled, glad Kiritsu had voiced his thoughts so well. "We'll help you teme! Just come home-"

"You're both more idiotic than I thought! This is _my _burden, my goal." He began to run at them the best he could with his injury. "I'm _not_ brining you with me! Flaming Fireball Jutsu!"

He breathed fireballs at them, the pair circling around and coming at him from both sides to distract him. Jumping over him, she used her chakra to block the heat as she kicked him in the spine into an onslaught of Naruto's clones. Pulling a sealed scroll from her weapons pouch, she unsealed an old puppet of Kankuro's he'd altered for her to use*.

"Puppet Show Jutsu; Raining Blades!" She moved her hands and fingers in a complicated manner, and the puppet flew up and around Sasuke. Unhindered by the flames, the puppet stayed above him, as if waiting on a command.

Twisting her wrist, it spun the puppet like an umbrella, raining kunai and any other small projectiles that were sealed inside as Naruto and his clones took advantage of the attack. They hit Sasuke every time he dodged a weapon*. Getting far enough away, Sasuke activated his Curse Mark, powering up. With the power-up, and Kiritsu almost out of weapons, he blew through the clones.

"_Damnit."_ Her and Naruto said, the latter landing next to her position.

"What do we do _now_?" Naruto demanded.

Leaving her puppet in control of her non-dominant hand to attack Sasuke, she unsealed another scroll in her pouch, a tessen* appearing in her hand. Using moves that resembled Temari's Wind-Scythe Jutsu's, she connected some chakra strings to the blades.

"You charge him while I try to tie him up with theses." She said, panting when she felt the drop of energy. "He's got to drain eventually…"

Naruto nodded and accepted a solider pill from her, and she refused to take one because of how many she'd taken already. He charged with his clones.

"We're not finished yet!" They yelled.

* * *

><p>A platoon of medic-nin were running through the woods, trying to get to the fallen Sasuke-pursuers late, an ANBU cell within their numbers.*<p>

"CHOJI!" An ANBU ran to the boy's side, and a medic joined him. "Two stay to help stabilize him, the rest, _go_!"

They shot off, those chosen remaining.

'If that's how the first one turned out…' One ANBU-medic shook her head, weasel mask seeming to not hide her displeasure. 'What condition will the others be in?'

"We've found another one!"

The long, dark hair and Cadged Bird Seal on his forehead revealed a Hyuuga.

"_Neji!_" A medic said angrily. "Right through the chest… we need to stabilize him now!"

The Weasel ANBU now frowned under her mask, but continued on with the rest of them. 'This'll get _really_ bad if they didn't receive backup…'

"Shiru-sama, Kaori-sama.*" One of the six remaining Medics said, the sole remaining ANBU looking to them with concern beneath his mask. The 'Laughing ANBU' and the 'Weasel ANBU' turned to her. "What is the plan?"

Shiru, the 'Weasel', nodded to 'Laughter'. "Me and Kaori will go after Uzumaki and Uchiha. The remainder of you shall split into pairs and check up on the other three pursuers. Pair one will go after Inuzuka, pair two will go after Nara, and pair three shall go after Rock Lee. Recover them and take them back to Konoha. See you guys back at Tsunade-sama's office; we'll have our hands full for awhile."

They nodded and scattered, leaving the two ANBU women alone. Shiru made an all-too familiar split-seal. "ByakuSharingan!*"

She peered through the trees as they two ran, using her split vision to find the targets. Looking as far away as she could, she sighed sadly.

"Sasuke and Naruto are fighting… and one of the Suna-nin sent as backup is helping Naruto against him. I can see Kakashi heading in their direction." Her partner turned to her with interest. "They're pretty far away… let's get moving."

"Roger that Shi-taichou-chan." Kaori joked, saluting.

* * *

><p>Kiritsu sighed with relief as Sasuke collapsed onto the water, Curse Seal depleted, and re-sealed her damaged puppet.<p>

"Is it over?" Naruto asked, breathing heavily. "Is… teme… going to be okay?"

With a weary look, she pulled off her bandages, needing to _breathe_. From lack of chakra, her skin had changed to a dark brown, and she was unused to such reactions. She'd really gone all-out this time, but began a series of hand seals.

"I thought your skin was normally…" Naruto's eyes widened as she finished, her skin turning back to it's normal color. "How did you do _that_?"

"An elder in my village has sealed my usable chakra into 'layers' to keep me from harming myself by overdoing it." She explained, the two walking over to a now twitching Sasuke. "Getting down to one seal level is visible… at the price of altering my appearance."

"What do you mean by 'usable' chakra? And how much chakra do you _have_?"

Before she could tell him she didn't have a good answer, Sasuke limply stood, and their attention was on him. His skin changed color, and he morphed into a demonic from. Looking at his face, she gasped. Same darkened lips, same diamond on the bridge of the nose, and a similar skin tone.*

"No _way_…" She said out loud, Naruto looking between them.

Sasuke began _laughing_, stretching and flexing his newly strengthened muscles. "So this is the power of the Second Level Curse Seal… I'll easily crush you now so I can get along to Orochimaru. He seems to offer me more than Konoha ever could…"

"Oh _come on_!" Kiritsu began to gather chakra in both her palms.

Naruto gave her a confused look as she created two Rasengans. "Kiritsu…"

"Lend me some Kyuubi chakra." She said stiffly, and he summoned the energy, watching in amazement as it added to and changed the Rasengans. They turned purple and enlarged to the size of a melon each.*

"Twin-Kyuubi Rasengans!" SHe yelled, unsteadily running at Sasuke. She was on her last limb from the effort of creating the new Rasengan technique. "I really don't want to kill you Uke, but if it happens… It won't be pretty."

"What are you-" Naruto was too surprised. 'This isn't the Kiritsu I know… Is Kyuubi influencing her somehow..?'

At her full speed, Sasuke had a snowballs chance in hell at fully escaping the unstable attack. Unable to dodge in time, one of his 'wings' was badly damaged by one f the Rasengans, the other too weak to hold and just blasting him into the base of a statue, and she blasted into one across from him.

The three had brought the fight to the falls at The Valley of the End.

Noticing how loudly Kiritsu had collided with the statue, and her groan of pain, Naruto's anger grew into a cloak of red chakra.

"She's just trying to _help_ you, like _I_ am, and _bring you home_!" He yelled, forming a tail. "How _dare_ you hurt her for _that_!"

"N…Naruto…" She winced at the feeling his dark chakra spread in the air and the burning sensation in her ribs. Something had changed in her, but she couldn't put her finger on it. 'At least nothing's broken…'

The two began fighting hard, Curse Seal Version Two vs. Kyuubi Jinchuuriki.

"Shit…" She managed, trying to stand, making a hand sign. "Sh… Sharingan."

Her eyes widened at the _darkness_ around the pair. _"Naruto!"_

She got an angry snarl in response.

"When I make a move… get out of the way!" She yelled, sliding down and deciding to sit up instead. Removing the last of her bandages, she began to make hand-signs. "Ninja art: Dark Ninjutsu Suppression.*"

Her clones, with inhumane speed, surrounded the pair in a fast circle. Naruto jumped away from the Genjutsu as his Kyuubi chakra ran out, landing through the waterfall in a cave, passing out from exhaustion. She finished the last hand sign one-handed.

The circle closing in on him, Sasuke grabbed his head and began to scream from pain, and after several minutes passed out and returned to his normal appearance… even though his clothes were almost ripped off in some places.

"Sorry…uke…" She said quietly, beginning to lean over and slide onto her side. Kakashi ran across the water to them. "There was… no other way…"

The two ANBU women arrived in the space just after Kakashi did, prepared for anything and still being surprised at the sight.

"Shiru, Kaori?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow. They nodded. "Take Naruto and Kiritsu, I'll-"

Kiritsu groaned and pulled herself a little off the ground with the help of the statue. "Just one of you ANBU that knows medical Ninjutsu come over here and swap blood with me and I'll be fine."

Immediately walking over to the girl, Kaori removed her mask and slit her arm. "Juts don't tell my parents you saw me; I'm supposed to be on a rebel streak right now. "

"You got it." Kiritsu winced when her side split in pain, binding their arms together. "This isn't a complete Jutsu so you might react badly…"

"I'll live." She smirked, nodding to Kakashi. "Have through worse. Heck-" She paused to wince. "Okay… _that_ wasn't comfortable…"

After a few seconds, Kiritsu smirked and used the little chakra she had at her disposal and healed her wounds, using a Byakugan in her one eye. "This makes the whole thing _much_ easier… _thank you Neji _for hating Kankuro…"

Kakashi chuckled.

"That's an interesting Kekkei Genkai you've got there… being able to use other peoples Kekkei Genkai and abilities…" Shiru muttered quietly.

Kaori nodded. "Yeah, just like-"

"Can it or I'll release those drunken hot springs pictures to the public." She deadpanned. "And I'll take Sasuke, Kaori, you take Naruto,and Sempai, you take Kiritsu."

"Well…" He didn't argue. "Oh, I guess that's alright. You _do_ know how to handle him after all."

"I'll just do this to make sure whatever Genjutsu she did holds…" She murmured, making one hand seal before slamming her palm into Sasuke's back. Several interwoven seals crossed his back, and she was pleased to see that it would be keeping him cut off from his chakra for awhile. "Let's go."

Being carried by an ex-ANBU that was walking alongside two ANBU, whom were carrying their own charges, Kiritsu sighed with relief. Kakashi gave her a confused look.

"It's far from over, but at least we've bought ourselves some time." Kiritsu explained.

Kakashi chuckled in agreement, and though it wasn't easy to see with her mask on, Shiru nodded slightly to the statement.

* * *

><p><strong>Me: (Runs and hides from angry Sasuke haters) Hey, HEY! I beat him up really bad didn't I? <strong>

* * *

><p><em>AN: _

_*She was in her 'pajamas', which consists of a large T-shirt/short dress that's 'Suna blue' with the 'Kaze' Kanji on the front, then changed into her Chuunin outfit_

_* Gaara doesn't realize it, buy she's used this speed before in her fight against Dosu… and on occasion, in her fights against Shukaku that he can't remember. _

_* She said this in all one word on the original copy *grins*. Aren't you glad I edited it to just one breath instead? _

_* Remember their conversation in chapter eight? Naruto didn't' know it happened, so he's obviously confused, but she has to explain herself _

_* This is an early version of The Crow's companion puppet Kankuro worked with as a kid (The Crow is the one he always carries, this would've been the one that you shove somebody into and stab them to death inside). He moved on, and gave it to his little sister as a present. It has been repaired several times over because Gaara has crushed it when he'd try to kill her in the past. _

_* Kiritsu has really horrible aim… and can only use one eye at this point… so it makes this a little difficult _

_* A tessen can be a metal-plated fan. I'm thinking Temari might've trained with one and passed it on to Kiritsu. For more: http: / en . wikipedia .org / wiki / Japanese _ war _ fan _

_* A platoon is probably twenty-or-so… that's a LOT of fighting medics, but its an emergency. An ANBU cell is five… so 15 official medic-nin and 5 trained medic-ANBU _

_* Basically a mix between the Sharingan and Byakugan… you can guess what it looks like yourself. _

_* Kiritsu's original designs were first inspired by the girl on the far left in this image, but I altered it over time. Some concepts are still in the official designs: http: / kiotsukatanna .deviantart . Com / gallery / 27070729 ? Offset = 72/d2i6p0x _

_* ~Giggles~ These are my two ANBU women that were featured a few chapters ago… You get to meet them in person now. They aren't as funny because its not the time for that. _

_* This isn't going to work out so well for her… I'm not sure she's even going to ever use the incomplete Jutsu ever again. _

_* Same Genjutsu used on Gaara in chapter five._


	11. Ch Ten: Returning Tales

**Oops… I fibbed when I said this was the last chapter in this part. I forgot about chapter 11's little part and just went along with it until I was flipping through my notebook. The next chapter will be the 'Weapons Arc/Saving Matsuri Arc', and this one is a little bit of the time before that happens. **

**Chapter Ten: Returning Tales**

Kiritsu began to doze off on the back of her chair, hand holding an unconscious, IV-wrapped one.

"How is he?"

She jumped in her skin, a chakra scalpel lighting in her right hand before she recognized the speaker, relaxing back into the seat.

"His chakra paths and injuries won't kill him… he's just going to be stuck here for awhile." She whispered, motioning for Naruto to come inside the room. "But until he wakes up… they can't treat him any more."

"Why not?" He whispered, walking over to the bed.

"Because his mental state is even worse than it was on the night of the Massacre." A shadow spoke, and Shiru stepped into view, in full ANBU uniform aside from her mask.

Her golden eyes had a strange look in them, like someone young that has seen too much hardship in their lives. Kiritsu understood the feeling.

"How do _you _know? You can't have been there, you're too young dattebayo!"

She smiled a little. "I knew Itachi personally as his teammate*, and served under him in the ANBU. And before he…_turned_…. I promised to _protect_ Sasuke. But being an ANBU has kept me busy…"

"It's not your fault…" Naruto said, sounding a little embarrassed. "I should've been there for him but he pushed us all away, I could've gotten him back anytime."

"No offence Noodle-Brains, but if you didn't have the Kyuubi as backup… we might both be a lot worse off…" Kiritsu lightly punched his shoulder.

"Hey, none taken." He smiled, then it wavered. "Only _I_ could have pulled it off… As long as its with your help Sis."

"Hey, don't be like that." She ruffled his hair. "Yes, we saved him _together_. Now, since I probably won't be here very often, you need to be his pillar of strength."

He nodded, and the ANBU looked pleased.

"Now, I've got to find Sempai…" Kiritsu rubbed her chin, squeezing the comatose fingers before releasing Sasuke's hand and standing. "Do you know where Temari is?"

Shiru answered. "Down the hall in the emergency ward, giving Shikamaru Nara emotional support."

"I should have guessed." She gave Sasuke's sleeping form one last look. 'Damnit Uke, do you get it _now_?'

About to turn the corned into the emergency ward, she paused at hearing a noise, and identified it with shock. 'Shikamaru's… c_rying_.'

"…Next time… I'll do the mission perfectly…" He said, and she peeked around the corner to see Temari sigh and go over to his side to pat his back, Shikaku watching the pair.

"Is Choji..?" Kiritsu said, stepping out into view. No one gave her funny looks for her appearance, which could be a good or bad sign. She was too tired to put the bandages back on for now. "Or Neji..?"

"They're fine. The medics did their job and the two's lives are no longer in danger." Temari answered. "You just missed Tsunade-sama's report."

"Hn…" She yawned. "You- we- brought him home and lived to tell about it… that's all that matters right now."

The others nodded.

"I need to… need to see Gaara b-before… -before.." Her eyelids dropped shut and she swayed on her feet, tilting at a dangerous angle, and Shikamaru caught her before she fell on her head.

"When was the last time she slept?" HE asked Temari, who shook her head.

"Probably the last time _any_ of us did… 45-50 hours… and she's overextended herself. Her mental and physical battles took more of a toll on her than _ours_ did…"

"Let's take her to a room and get her settled in before we get ourselves some rest."

With that, the two left, and Shikaku watched them with amusement. 'That Temari is worse than Yoshino… but seems to have a soft side as well. Her younger teammate is also troublesome, but more agreeable. Interesting that _Suna_ has these women…'

He chuckled to himself. 'Watch yourself son, you might've found a woman you can't ignore.'

Meanwhile, Temari and Shikamaru were having a… diplomatic… conversation about who would take a nap in the chair while the other shared with Kiritsu. Awakened by their disagreement, Kiritsu (whom was very irritated) 'convinced' them to _all_ share.*

* * *

><p>"<em>We're going home in tomorrow…"<em>

"Yep."

"_Are you going to… miss this place?"_

Kiritsu broke the twig she'd been playing with between her fingers, swinging her legs back and forth over the edge of the rooftop. They were watching the night sky together.

"_Is that a yes?"_

She sighed. "I'll be keeping in touch with them… and visit if I have missions here…but yeah. When you and Naruto are both Kage's, however, we'll come more often. Right?"

He nodded. _"As often as possible… but…"_

"What?"

"_What if you're ranked so highly that you'll be too busy to spend time with Team Baki?"_

She smiled and pulled her bandages away from her lips so he could see her real smile. "How about when it comes to that point, you promote me to a position that allows me to come and go as I please? I can help you _and_ be useful to Sunagakure as well."

Before he could answer, there was a rapping noise on the bottom of the roof, and the Crow popped up.

"I know you're talking about something important and all, but we're leaving tomorrow afternoon and _some _people need their sleep." Kankuro's voice came out of the puppet's mouth, and they could tell he was about to tell a joke. "Big plans you know, hearts to break when I leave them behind."

"Like TenTen would protect you from Neji and or Lee if you broke her heart." She retorted, a little cranky. 'Neji _already _doesn't like you…'

"Just quiet down _Miira_." The puppet retreated inside.

Gaara blinked, his face blank. _"Sometimes I hate him…"_

She laughed. "Me too… but we're practically family. It's a casualty."

His body language suggested agreement. _"You __**should**__ get some rest though. Go to bed."_

"_Fine_…" She yawned and climbed down the roof, letting on how tired she really was. "Be…" Yawn. "…That way…"

About to the roof's edge, she became unsteady and lost her grip, and fell.

A sand wave caught her. To her surprise, he rolled his eyes at her. _"Be more careful."_

"Uh…hmm…." She mumbled, crawling into bed between Kankuro and Temari, too sleepy to think about her conversation with Gaara.

* * *

><p>Lee and Kiritsu were doing some Taijutsu training outside the house Lee and Guy shared, Kiritsu taking it easy since she wasn't fully healed yet, avoiding going inside for two reasons. One reason was because they wouldn't be able to keep up their movements inside the tiny hallways. The other was a bit more sensitive, and the topic of discussion as they sparred.<p>

"So _why_ aren't you allowed to meet Guy's girlfriend?" She asked, dodging a sweeping kick at her chest by executing a back flip.

He grunted in displeasure at her speed. "Guy-Sensei's personal life is a secret. The woman he is sharing his youthfulness with is either a civilian or such a strong ninja that their relationship may be used against them."

Smirking, she put him in a headlock, holding a kunai to his throat. "I've sensed something familiar about her… So I'm guessing it's the latter."

He was surprised. "You believe you know Guy-Sensei's girlfriend, and that she is stronger than he is?"

"It's just a theory… that I won't test until we stop for something to eat."

"A worthy requirement." He swung around to try and make contact, and she released him to avoid being hit.

Once distanced from him, she made a hand sign, and noticed him heading in her direction at full speed. "Byakugan." 'A little closer…' "ROTATION!"

Connecting with the large sphere of spinning chakra, Lee was sent flying through the air, went through the houses thin door, and landed in a groaning heap. *

"Oh _crap_, sorry Lee." She ran up to him, healing chakra already in her palm. 'That was _fun_ to _try_…but…' "Where does it hurt?"

Before he answered, a woman with _very_ familiar features ran into the hall, wearing a blanket as cover.

"You couldn't resist overdoing it, could you?" Kaori* said sarcastically, smirking at the shock on Lee's face.

"Y-You are Sensei's… _girlfriend_?" He managed, and she shifted her blankets to cover herself better. Lee blushed.

"_Yeah_." She shrugged and stood, putting an arm around Guy's waist. He was curiously silent.

"On my ninja way I swear it." He was red and covered his eyes. "She would have… difficulty believing me."

Kiritsu, even covered in bandages, looked like she was going to burst out laughing. The poor, innocent Taijutsu Specialist was getting an unexpected look into the personal life of his Sensei, and his brain seemed close to exploding.

Guy broke out of whatever trance he'd been in. "Well, now that you've met my youthful and powerful love, why don't we clean ourselves up and have something to eat? My eternal rival is coming, so there's no reason for you to feel like you have to leave Kiritsu-san."

She smiled and bowed slightly. "Sorry, but I have to see several people before I return to Suna. Maybe some other time."

With tears in his eyes, Lee hugged her. "You will be missed, Kiritsu-chan!"

She hesitantly patted his back, holding back giggles. "I'll miss you guys as well."

Running off, she tried to imagine them as a family, and couldn't hold in her laughter any longer. She passed Naruto's apartment building, and spotted someone of interest.

"Excuse me." She said to a woman with a bag of groceries and a few squealing toddlers, wearing a simple dress with a sash around her waist. "Ma'am, could you give me directions in exchange for me helping you?"

She frowned. "Fair trade. D-Ranked missions are a pain-" _In the ass_, Kiritsu heard the woman mumble. "-but I have to stay in the village."

Kiritsu picked up one of the toddlers and used a clone to grab another, her free hand holding any other of the children's.

"_Babysitting_?" She asked, skeptical. "Someone with your ANBU rank-"

"_Shh!"_ The woman gave her a 'shut up now' look. "I know what you want. Naruto is with Sasuke, who reacted well to the medication the medics have been using to keep him calm when he's awake. He should be in a lucid state about now."

"Thank you, Shiru-san." Once they reached the apartment the kids lived in she dropped off the four in her charge, dispersing her clone, and ran off to the hospital.

"Any time…" Shiru muttered, eyes briefly flickering to a strange appearance. "For my possible-"

"Hey Shi-chan." Anko called out, dango in hand. "How's your S-ranked babysitting job?"

She smirked. "One of my hardest missions since I was thirteen."

"Well, you do have a way with Uchiha's." The woman shrugged. "Must be your Sharingan and attitude issues."

"Speaking of Sharingan…" She turned to her elder. "Do you want to spar with me and Kaori tonight?"

A terrifying smirk. "What time?"

* * *

><p>Oh her way down the hallway Sasuke's room was in, Kiritsu collided with Naruto.<p>

"Noodle-Brain, what's'…" Dread spread through her stomach at the worry on his face.

"I was just about to look for you Sis." He mumbled, blushing. "He woke up and asked where you were, and I told him you were leaving, and he wanted to say goodbye dattebayo."

She sighed with relief. "Alright…" Then, she glomped Naruto. "Don't think I'll forget you Noodle-Brains! I'll visit every chance I get and-"

He turned a little redder. "Okay Sis, I get it… _please_ let me go so I can _breathe _dattebayo!"

Releasing him, she grabbed him by the front of his jacket and lifting him up. "Promise me a favor?"

He nodded and swallowed, terrified a Chuunin that was almost a foot shorter than him was lifting him off the ground. "_Sure_!"

"Since I don't know her as well as I wish I did and won't have time now…" She smirked at his squirms. It wasn't like she was hurting him. "You'll have to take Hinata out to ramen once and awhile so you can tell her about me."

"What? Why me?"

"She'd like to get to know you too." SHe muttered. "So do we have a deal?" He nodded. "Then go find her Noodle-Brains."

Once she dropped him, she walked into the room Sasuke was in, and stopped just inside the doorway. He was sitting upright, with his pillows supporting his back, IV-wrapped hands limp on the sheets. Looking up at her, she saw his dark eyes were hollow.

"Hey." She said, walking over and climbing onto the bed at his side, nervously playing with her bandages. "I heard you were awake, and I wanted to-"

He lifted up a hand and brushed her bangs away from her face dejectedly. "You look like me… how I _was_… but you aren't a _monster_. I…"

"You _aren't _one either, you've just been misguided." She pulled him into a tight hug, and he seemed to melt into her arms. *

"I'll always be here, even if you can't see me." She smirked into his shoulder. "I'll write you _lots_ of letters, okay? I don't want The Uke to feel _lonely_ while he's on probation."

* * *

><p>"This is going to sound <em>really<em> corny." A teen complained.

"Say it." A girl smiled.

"Eh…" A smirk and a shrug. "I'm going to kind of miss seeing you every day."

TenTen slapped Kankuro, painfully, on the arm. "_Jerk_. I'm going to _kind of_ miss you too."

"You finished?" He motioned to her nearly empty ramen bowl.

"Yeah…" She sat up properly. "So you're _really_ leaving this time?"

"As soon as that Lazy-Ass finds me and escorts us all out."

She slightly blushed at a thought that came to mind. "Will you write or visit like Kiritsu has promised to?"

He smirked and pulled on the ties of her headband, and she pinched his cheek, turning her fingers purple from the paint.

"You're al lot more fun than anyone else here…" He put his arm behind his head, the other busy messing with his puppet. "I guess it would be fun…"

He paid and the two walked out of Ichiraku's, friendly and comfortable with each other. Sensing Shikamaru around the corner, Kankuro swiftly brushed TenTen's cheek with his fingertips and ruffled her hair affectionately.

"See ya." He smirked, walking over to the younger teen. "Little Leaf."

He waved once before disappearing from her view, not seeing the shock on her face.

"Took you long enough." Shikamaru muttered. "Let's get this troublesome 'escort' thing over…" WHACK! "…_ow_."

Kiritsu, who was riding piggyback on Shikamaru, had hit him upside the head. Dropping from his back, she ran to Kankuro, Temari and Gaara back with Shikamaru. Climbing onto 'Niisan's' back, she got into her regular and comfortable position on his shoulders, and they all walked to the village gate.

When they reached the gate, Shikamaru sighed and stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking irritated. "Good-"

"You'd better toughen up now that you're a Chuunin." Temari said, interrupting him with a smile. "Next time I might just let a rouge ninja kill you before I take them out."

He smiled a little.

"See-ya Lazy Bones!" Kiritsu yelled, waving behind them.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Bonus: <strong>

**(Anyone that can correctly guess Kaori's parentage will be notified and get a pat on the head for their cleverness.****)**

* * *

><p><em>AN: _

_* Shiru, in her development, had a lot of different positions in Itachi/Sasuke's past as an ANBU. Since her age ended up with matching Itachi's, and she was already an ANBU, I decided to make them old teammates that advanced at about the same pace (Shiru a year or two behind him). _

_* She is not very 'touchy', but if she wants to cuddle in her sleep she _will_ or so help the poor souls that try to argue about it. And she wants them to just _grow up_ already. _

_* To those that noticed, this is a Fruits Basket reference. Lee (Kyo) has smashed Guy's (Shigure's) door. The situation was asking for it I swear. _

_* Didn't see that one coming, did you? _;)

_* NO, I am NOT setting up a pairing here. ~gags~ I don't want Kiritsu with Sasuke… it wouldn't work out anyway._


	12. Ch Elever: Schooling Troubles

**Sorry this took so long. **

**My grandparents spent the weekend with my family and I was busy writing out some of the Shippuden part of this… and since Dad is varnishing the floor downstairs I can't get into the pretzel rods so I can have a snack in my room. :/ **

**This chapter took some editing because of my laziness in writing it the first time. **

**Chapter Eleven: Schooling Troubles**

"You're first session for the Ninja Academy shall begin tomorrow." One of the elders said, and Kiritsu nodded, not fully paying attention.

"Everything's all good then? Is this meeting over?" She muttered, and Temari (who was closest to her) covered her giggle with a small fan.

"Meeting concluded." Baki said, and she sighed with relief.

"_Finally_." Kankuro hissed, and Kiritsu held out her fist.

"Pound it for shorter meetings." She mumbled, and they knocked their knuckles together.

Gaara gave them a look equal to rolling his eyes. _"Let's go get something to eat."_

Putting his hands behind his head to stretch, Kankuro shrugged. "How about a restaurant? I'm tired of the fancy crap they're serving here…"

"_And_ you're fat." Kiritsu joked, poking him in the side. He slapped her hand away, lifting her up onto his shoulders, pretending to stagger in his steps as he walked around.

"Look who's getting fat _now_?" He retorted, smiling.

Temari whacked them with her small fan. "Now both of you pick the place. Since you're _so_ fat, you _must_ know a great place to eat."

"_Ow_… That seems fair." Kiritsu rubbed her leg. "Hey Niisan… Where was that one restaurant, in the one part of town, that you told me you liked?"

He smirked and changed direction mid-step. "Right this way. You'll be in for a treat you three."

Confused, Temari and Gaara followed Kankuro blindly into an area of Suna that consisted of a large population of civilians. Taking Kiritsu and Kankuro's lead, they removed their forehead protectors and slowed down a bit.

"Behold," Kankuro waved his arm in the direction of a small building that could pass off as a shack. "The Jade Dragon teahouse and short-order shop."

Curious, the other two followed them inside, and were surprised at how nice the place looked on the inside in comparison to the outside.

"_Maybe_ you've got good taste under that puppet fetish." Temari half-joked, and a waiter walked right up to them before he could recover enough to hit her, even Gaara looking mildly amused while Kiritsu giggled at the crack.

"Hey Kankuro, didn't expect to see you here." He said, and seemed quite friendly aside from the scars that split his face into two triangles. "I'm guessing these are your siblings."

"Yeah…" Kankuro smirked. "That one there is Temari, Kiritsu's weighing down my shoulders-" She pulled on his ear "-Ow… and this is my brother, Gaara."

"Oh, you're the one going for Kazekage." He gave a respectful half-bow to the mildly surprised teen. "You have my approval, same for my family and our customers."

"… … _Thank you."_ He said, and Kiritsu moved her bandages around so she could see and show off her mouth.

"Are we going to eat or what?" She said, and the server smiled.

"Just as patient as Kankuro when it comes to good food." He made a gesture with his hand to another waiter. "Right this way."

He lead them to an open booth in the back with a rotating table* covered in sampler plates.

"I'll be back to see how you're enjoying yourselves." He said, then used a small fire Jutsu to light the wood under the tea kettle.

Dropping from Kankuro's shoulders, Kiritsu got into a seat and spun the table in a full rotation, much to the amusement of her companions. "What? It looked like fun."

Temari shook her head and took her own seat, smiling. "So what's the story behind this place Kankuro?"

He finished chewing a piece of BBQ pork before answering. "Family of ninjas that use Jutsu to cook. A few of them that are off missions or retired run the shop most days."

"_Interesting…"_ Gaara said, eating his food slowly. _"Maybe we could help them get more time off for business…"_

" 'We'?" They gave him curious looks.

His blank expression looked almost exasperated. _"When I become Kazekage you three are going to be on my counsel and personal guard… If you would want to…"_

"Even though the only person you need to protect yourself from is us." Kiritsu put an arm around his shoulder. "We'd love to."

* * *

><p>"Damn… they're so <em>tiny<em>." Kiritsu muttered, yawning as her eyes scanned the prospective academy students.

Kankuro smirked. "That's saying a lot, coming from _you_."

Even though half her face was bandaged, she managed to give him a fully heated glare. "I could kill you and you wouldn't be able to fight before your lifeless corpse hit the sand."

He raised an eyebrow. "What's with _your_ bad mood? I expect this from-"

Gaara walked into the open area they were in, and Kankuro choose to can it before she had a good reason to hit him.

"I'm Temari, and these are my siblings Kankuro," He held up a hand. "Kiritsu," She put her arms behind her head. "and Gaara." He nodded. "Pick a weapon, than pick one of us to be your Sensei for now."

Immediately the kids ran to the weapons table, and the group split into almost thirds, all of them with almost ten each… except Gaara, and there was only one girl left. A whip was in her hands, and she looked uneasy with it.

Kiritsu looked at them, hoping Matsuri would pick Gaara. 'He doesn't deserve the isolation… _please_…'

"H-Hello… Gaara-Sensei." She said shyly, a little fidgety, playing with. "I'm… Matsuri."

He nodded. _"Show me what you can do with the whip Matsuri."_

Unsure, she barely flicked it and dropped it like a live snake. Without any disappointment, he walked over and picked up the limp weapon in his own hands, admiring it for a second.

"_Try this."_ He began to spin it around himself quickly, and her eyes widened. _"A ninja is dependant on his weapons, and their greatest weapons are their companions."_

He handed her the whip, even though she jumped when his hand briefly touched hers. _"Until you figure out what this means, practice wrapping the whip around this post."_

She nodded, and began attempting both tasks. Gaara watched her until the class left the area. He decided to leave her to her training, and was only a few feet out the door when he heard her scream. Kiritsu, who was walking back into the training area, broke into a sprint when she saw enemy ninja capture Matsuri.

"Hey! What's the big idea!" She yelled, glaring at the one she supposed was the leader.

"We want the greatest weapon in Suna, the Ichibi, and until he hands himself over, those who protect him will be captured by us." He said, and they somehow disappeared.

Kiritsu heard Gaara land behind her, and she dropped to her knees, punching the ground. "Damnit… We've _got_ to get her back."

He nodded, looking somewhat guilty. _"Let's send for Konoha…" _

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in Konoha, Naruto searched the streets for someone.<p>

"I can't do that favor for Kiri-chan if I can't _find_ Hinata-chan dattebayo." He muttered, hands in his pockets. "Maybe somebody-"

He saw Sasuke walking out the Uchiha compound gates, and ran up to him. "Hey teme, could you help me with something?"

"Hn." He looked up. "You know I can't train with these bracelets* on, and attempting a prank would only get me in more trouble because of the trackers in them, so-"

"It's a favor I owe Kiri-chan." He said, holding out his hands in a begging manner. "You've _got to_ help me Teme."

An emotion crossed his face too quickly for Naruto to read, and he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Fine."

"Have you seen Hinata-chan around? Because Kiri-chan asked me to take her out to ramen, but every time I try to ask her she's nowhere I look dattebayo."

Giving him an 'are you kidding me?' look, he sighed. "Dube, bet you I can find her in ten seconds."

He gaped. "No way! It's taken me two weeks and-"

"Hinata-sama." Sasuke called out, and there was a surprised squeak.

"Y-y-yes S-Sasuke-kun?" She said, peeking out from behind a corner, Naruto spinning around to stare at her beet red face with surprise.

"Would you join me and Naruto for ramen later?" He asked, trying to be polite and as friendly as possible. It wasn't like he _didn't_ like her, but he knew that his usual tone wouldn't get him anywhere with her. 'She's really timid after all…'

"Um… s-S… Sure." Her breathing seemed less stressed. "I-I just h-have to t-tell Neji-niisan… th-then-"

Shikamaru ran up. "Naruto, we've got a group mission!"

He frowned. "Can't it wait? I'm kind of busy dattebayo."

"It's for Gaara. Apparently one of his students got captured and is in a hostage situation. They want Gaara for the girl."

His expression darkened. "Sorry teme, sorry Hinata-chan, I'll go out with you guys when I get back dattebayo!"

Sasuke and Hinata watched as the two ran off, and her blush faded to a lighter pink, beginning to poke her fingers together.

"You really like that idiot, don't you?" He asked, scratching the back of hid head. At the swift motion, the bracelet glowed, and he frowned at the reaction.

Her face went back to red. "W-w-Well… I-I-I… b-but…"

Sighing, he smirked. "Kiritsu knew, that's why he's trying so hard to go on a date with you… and I like you better than _Sakura_. He might become less of an idiot if he started dating you."

When she started swaying on her feet, he caught her, surprised. 'Maybe I _shouldn't_ have said that…' "How about I take you to Neji so you can tell him that you're going to be out a little late."

Still slightly dazed, she nodded.

Gently, he took her arm and _slowly_ walked her to the Hyuuga compound, wary of guards. He was still considered a 'criminal' by many after all.

When Neji walked up to the gate to greet them, Sasuke wasn't surprised who was chosen to check on the precious Heiress, but became confused at how he was handling himself. An injury was slightly affecting his whole person, just barely noticeable to the untrained eye, but it was there.

Feeling a little guilty (Naruto had told him _details_ of the injuries his 'rescue mission' caused), he half-bowed to the injured Hyuuga. "I'm escorting her because she became a little…faint…"

Looking back and forth between them, Neji sighed. "It's about Naruto, isn't it?"

He nodded as she began to slowly snap out of it. "He promised Kiritsu that he'd take her out to eat… annoying little girl tricked him into asking her out… and they're going out to eat after he gets back from his mission."

Neji blinked a couple of times, then took Hinata from him. "I approve of this… whether her father does or not*…"

He shrugged. "_This_ happens when she considers them together."

A slight smile. "Hopefully his confidence shall rub off on her."

Silence.

"Hn… let's just go to Ichiraku's." Sasuke rubbed the parts of his wrists he could reach under the bracelets. "I'm starving."

Nodding, the two began to walk to Ichiraku's, brining a red-faced Hinata along for the trip.

* * *

><p>"I'll take one, Kankuro'll take the other." Temari said, fan ready. "Gaara, you and Kiritsu take the leader."<p>

Kankuro smirked, his puppets already at the ready. "You got it."

"_Agreed."_ Gaara kept his gaze foreword. _"Matsuri is my student, and my responsibility. Also, it is because of me she was captured."_

"Her mother took care of me when I was a baby…" Kiritsu murmured, undoing the bandages on her face as she ran. "and… despite how timid she is… she didn't need to get captured. Power-hungry _bastards_."

'Great… she's getting _mad_.' Kankuro eyed her worriedly, and said with a lighthearted tone. "It'll be _easy_, they're not even real ninjas."

She just gave a curt nod, keeping close to Gaara.

"They're trying to capture Shukaku…" She whispered.

An emotion crossed his face. _"I know…"_ It was fear.

"If you loose control… it'll be all over. We'll _loose_ you."

She swallowed, maintaining her composure after her voice cracked.

Briefly, he reached out and touched her arm, fingers cold yet comforting. _"You're my back-up. Get Matsuri, and if anything goes wrong… get out."_

Instead of protesting, what she _wanted_ to do, she nodded. "Roger Kazekage-sama."

His mood lightened. _"I'm not Kazekage yet… but maybe this will help people see…"_

"Right." She cut him off.

They both jumped through the trees and down into the crater in the ground, following the trail the leader of the Weapon-Maker village left, prepared to kill.

'People have slowly begun to accept Gaara… things are starting to get better for him…' Her eyes narrowed, and she activated her Byakugan in her eye. "I found Matsuri!"

"_Where?"_

"In a clearing… this way!" She shot off, and the two increased their speed. "It looks like Niisan and Sempai are already in combat… and there seems to be allies just entering the crater."

"_Naruto?" _

"Yeah… and some of his friends… but not Sasuke."

Silence.

"Let's just get your student back, alright?"

* * *

><p>"Naruto-kun is going to take you on a date when he gets back?" Hama-Tsu smiled and put down the dishrag she'd been using to wipe down the counter, closing her eyes and beginning to cut miso into little cubes.<p>

While Hinata blushed and stuttered out an attempt to deny the assumption, Neji looked at the girl with surprise. He'd never heard _this_ girl's voice before… or hadn't cared enough to notice before.

Slight and delicate yet dominant Hyuuga features caught his curiosity further.

"Hama." Sasuke rolled his eyes. "The Dube is still clueless."

An exasperated yet amused noise came form the back of her throat, and Neji was stunned when she opened her eyes. They were the size and shape of the Byakugan, but tinted a pale pink instead of lavender.

"He needs to get pushed in the right direction sometimes." She shrugged and continued her work. "He deserves you Hinata."

Neji rolled his eyes a little at Hinata's dizzy spell. "I think that's a little much for her, don't you agree?"

Sasuke snorted at the comment, but Hama-Tsu's strange eyes rounded on him. Like when his uncle glared at him, he felt like the gaze went _through_ him. "Why are you so cold when it comes to the happiness of others, especially your cousins? Oh, right. You killed your own."

He frowned slightly, not understanding her. "What would you know-"

Gasping, his eyes focused on hers, that now appeared to be a slightly-pink yet fully activated Byakugan.

"I've 'watched' you and TenTen's relationship for years. She truly admired you, but didn't act on her feelings because of your 'destiny' and training obsessions."

This really wasn't making sense to him. "TenTen does not-"

"Of course not…" Her tone turned wistful. "She likes somebody else now… even though I couldn't see her face, her happiness-"

"You're saying two conflicting things; you constantly say you can't 'see' things, yet describe them in great detail and look directly at me." He paused. "And who cares for-"

"I can answer the first one easy." Sasuke set aside his empty bowl with a smirk. "It may be hard to tell from how she acts, but she's as blind as a bat."

'Blind?' "Then how can you see Hama-Tsu-san?"

"Being the daughter of Uncle Teuchi's brother and the Hyuuga Branch prodigy Hanai, I have a weak yet useful Byakugan that compensates for my lack of vision." She said.

'So that's where her beauty comes from… her late mother.' He realized, humbled by her ability.

* * *

><p>Kiritsu struggled with Matsuri, trying to drag the girl away while Gaara fought the Weapons Master, and the tiny Chuunin tried to block his Shukaku-induced screams form her mind.<p>

"Naruto, help me!" Kiritsu said to the shocked boy that arrived in the clearing. "She's fighting me-"

"Gaara-Sensei!" The girl broke free, running to grab her whip from the ground. With a flick, she wrapped it around the Weapons Master, who gave her a blank look.

"What did you think you could do by trying me up?" He said.

Naruto and Kiritsu shivered, the first muttering. "He even _sounds_ dead…"

"_Dattebane*._" She muttered, holding out a hand to help him make a Rasengan. "You should have seen when they resurrected him."

Using the Rasengan, Naruto prepared for an attack when a half-formed Shukaku burst out of the containment snarling. Kiritsu bit her lip under the bandages.

'If Matsuri sees him like this… she might never…' Seeing Gaara suppress Shukaku on his own, she gasped.

Naruto smiled and ran up to him, and the pair took down the restrained Master. The others, having won their fights, ran into the clearing to see the attack. Their opponent defeated, Naruto punched the air.

"We did it, _dattebayo_!" He yelled.

Gaara muttered something in a voice so low only Kiritsu heard him. _"Baka…"_

"N…Naruto?" Matsuri said, looking like she'd had an epiphany. "Thank you."

"Huh, for what?" He said, visibly confused.

She smiled. "You helped me figure out Gaara-Sensei's lesson."

Still lost, he shrugged and put his hands behind his head with a smile.

Kiritsu laughed, running up to Gaara. Her smile, and the look she gave him made him feel very…confused. The poor boy saw her begin to cry.

"_Kiritsu-chan?"_ His confused expression bringing his 'eyebrows' together. _"What's wrong?"_

To everyone's surprise, she hugged him tightly around the middle and whispered. "Panda-chan… you're going to be the best Kazekage ever."

Amused smiles watched her as she wiped her eyes, then they froze when they saw her dark glare. "I was _not_ just crying."

They looked worried for their lives at her tone.

"No, you weren't crying." Kankuro said, adjusting his puppets. "Now, can we go home now?"

Gaara nodded, putting his gourd on his back. _"Lets' go. Thank you for your help Naruto."_

Waving, Naruto gave him an easygoing smile. "Hey, anytime for a friend."

The Suna-nin began to run back towards their village, Gaara and Kiritsu talking quietly, but Temari lagged behind.

"Don't be too troublesome now." Shikamaru said, eyeing the unconscious Ino over Kiba's shoulder. "You're already bad enou-"

Without warning, she lifted him up by his vest and kissed him, and promptly dropped him once finished.

She laughed at his expression. "See ya Shika-kun."

On the ground, Shikamaru's face was red, and he appeared to have fainted.

"I'm _not_ carrying him." Naruto said, and Choji smiled.

"I got him." He said, throwing him over his shoulder. "_Lucky_, he got his first kiss before me…"

"Hey, do you have somebody you want a kiss from Choji?" Kiba teased, smirking at the blush on the other boy's face. "Come on, you can tell us… What about you Naruto?"

They were walking back to the village gates.

"Eh, don't know." He frowned a little. "Sakura's pretty, but after the thing with Sasuke and how Bushy Brow is… there's other girls I guess."

"Well, I think Tsu-chan is pretty cute and likes me, maybe I should snag one when she's handing me a ramen bowl." Kiba's smirk widened. "And I know somebody that wouldn't mind you kissing them."

"What? Who?"

"Oh… just this girl I know… she's sort of shy and has liked you a long time."

Naruto was puzzled during the rest of the walk.

"Hey, I heard you're treating somebody to ramen." Kiba said, breaking his train of thought.

"Oh right!" He smiled. "I'm supposed to take Hinata-chan out to ramen…" 'Maybe she knows who the… shy… girl…' He resumed thinking.

Running into Ichiraku's, Naruto was pleased to see Hinata there. "Hinata-chaaaaaan!"

She turned red, not noticing Kiba ducking in behind her to talk to a mildly amused Hama-Tsu. "So can I get the _special_ Tsu-chan..?"

"Y-yes N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata managed, trying to look at him.

Naruto blushed and scratched the back of his head. "Can I treat you to ramen… and have a date sometime?"

Slightly frozen, she remembered Neji-niisan's words from earlier that afternoon. '_Hinata-sama, if you spend more time with Naruto you'll become more comfortable around him. I approve of you dating him.'_

"… Y-y…yes." She whispered.

"Huh? What was that?" He held a hand around his ear and leaned close to her. "I can hardly hear ya Hinata-chan. You have to speak up dattebayo."

She closed her eyes and swallowed. "Y-Yes Naruto-kun!"

He grinned. "That's great! How about tomorrow night we have the date 'cause it's getting late."

"T-That sounds g-good."

Something clicked in his mind, and while looking around, he mischievously grinned at her. "Do you want me to walk you home?"

Her blush had died down slightly at this point, but she was still quiet. "S-Sure Naruto-kun."

Still grinning, he grabbed her hand and pulled her along, but after a couple hesitant steps she stopped. He gave her a confused look.

"Are you coming?" He asked jokingly.

Looking at their hands, with a bright red face, she nodded. "Y-yes."

He stopped at the Hyuuga gates, right outside her window. They sat on her windowsill, and neither of them had the nerves to say goodbye for the night.

"Hinata-chan." He said, blushing and scooting beside her, making it hard for her to focus. "Guess what I heard."

Before she could answer, he leaned over and kissed her cheek. Her face and neck were a deep shade of red, and she was a little faint.

He blushed and grinned. "This means you're my girlfriend, right?"

Nodding a little, she managed through the haze of her mind to start fumbling with the window lock.

"See you for our date Hinata-chan!" He said, waving and slipping past the Hyuuga guards home.

* * *

><p><em>(AN) _

_* Like the ones in some Chinese restaurants. I've wanted to try what she does ever since I saw one on TV. _

_* This idea came from my lack of explanation in my head of why Sasuke wasn't locked up somewhere in Konoha during this part. He's on 'probation', and is required to wear one inch thick and three to four inch wide chakra-suppressing and tracking bracelets on his wrists. This makes him hardly a threat, seeing as they cut off Ninjutsu and Genjutsu and go off he moves too fast. _

_*Before you call Neji OOC, remember that he respects and somewhat admires Naruto. Of course he wouldn't have too many issues with him dating his 'sister'. _

_* Dattebane- the female equivalent of dattebayo that was used by Kushina. In the original, Kiritsu used 'dattebayo' on occasion when she's with Naruto as a private joke between them, but I changed it on here to keep the confusion to a minimum._

* * *

><p><strong>I really liked writing this chapter, and I hope you liked <strong>_**The Other Daughter**_**. In about a week, start looking on my profile for a story called **_**Time Skip Chapters**_**, a continuation of **_**The Other Daughter**_**. I will try to link it to this one, but not until the first chapter is out.**

**Thank you, **

**~OftheNewMoon **


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